20 years ago this week I began an adventure that would shape the course of my adult years.
A soul searching trip across the United States in a VW bus?
A missions trip to a third world country?
A summer in Alaska researching wildlife?
Nope.
20 years ago this week, I hopped into my 1978 Carolina Blue BMW, drove out of Chapel Hill, North Carolina and took a 700 mile drive to Lake Buena Vista, Florida. And lest you be too impressed with the car, it was mechanically a piece of crap, but oh my, I looked good driving it.
So, why did I drive to Florida, you ask? Well, I went there in search of a guy named Scott Hughes.
Okay, so I realize I need to provide a little back story.
Mid-May, 1988: I was completing my junior year at UNC-Chapel Hill. Up to that point I had spent every summer before and during college taking a class at Winston-Salem State University and waiting tables at the Dead Lob (that's Red Lobster for those of you who never worked there - to this day I still get a bit stressed out when I see the Lobsterfest commercials).
I was determined to have "the best summer of my life," since it was in effect my last summer before I had to enter the real world all on my own (of course, this was back in the late 1980's, a time when it was not a forgone conclusion that college graduates would move back home andleech off live with their parents for another 10 years.)
So, one day in May I was walking through the dorm when a sign caught my eye. "Live with me at Walt Disney World this summer!" Well, can you image any greater enticement in the world??
I called the number listed on the flyer and asked for Holly M. The person who answered the phone promptly banged on a wall and yelled to her next door neighbor that the phone was for her. This was really funny. Why? Well, you see, my soon to be dear friend Holly is incredibly smart. I mean really smart. Honor student, blah, blah, blah. And I think when one is really smart like that sometimes the little things in life are a wee bit challenging...like putting your own phone number on the flyer instead of your next door neighbors by mistake! Ah, I still laugh at that one. I quickly learned that it was a not an a-typical Holly M. move :)
Anyhoo, Holly and I met and she brought with her all of the Disney propaganda and lots of fun and exciting stories of her previous summer at Disney, which had me ready to sign up....except...there was one a small problem. Apparently Disney would pay me about $670.00 a month for a 40 hour work week and my living expenses would likely run around $700 a month. Even I could do the math on that one.
But I was not to be discouraged and Holly had an idea....(stay tuned for Part II)
A soul searching trip across the United States in a VW bus?
A missions trip to a third world country?
A summer in Alaska researching wildlife?
Nope.
20 years ago this week, I hopped into my 1978 Carolina Blue BMW, drove out of Chapel Hill, North Carolina and took a 700 mile drive to Lake Buena Vista, Florida. And lest you be too impressed with the car, it was mechanically a piece of crap, but oh my, I looked good driving it.
So, why did I drive to Florida, you ask? Well, I went there in search of a guy named Scott Hughes.
Okay, so I realize I need to provide a little back story.
Mid-May, 1988: I was completing my junior year at UNC-Chapel Hill. Up to that point I had spent every summer before and during college taking a class at Winston-Salem State University and waiting tables at the Dead Lob (that's Red Lobster for those of you who never worked there - to this day I still get a bit stressed out when I see the Lobsterfest commercials).
I was determined to have "the best summer of my life," since it was in effect my last summer before I had to enter the real world all on my own (of course, this was back in the late 1980's, a time when it was not a forgone conclusion that college graduates would move back home and
So, one day in May I was walking through the dorm when a sign caught my eye. "Live with me at Walt Disney World this summer!" Well, can you image any greater enticement in the world??
I called the number listed on the flyer and asked for Holly M. The person who answered the phone promptly banged on a wall and yelled to her next door neighbor that the phone was for her. This was really funny. Why? Well, you see, my soon to be dear friend Holly is incredibly smart. I mean really smart. Honor student, blah, blah, blah. And I think when one is really smart like that sometimes the little things in life are a wee bit challenging...like putting your own phone number on the flyer instead of your next door neighbors by mistake! Ah, I still laugh at that one. I quickly learned that it was a not an a-typical Holly M. move :)
Anyhoo, Holly and I met and she brought with her all of the Disney propaganda and lots of fun and exciting stories of her previous summer at Disney, which had me ready to sign up....except...there was one a small problem. Apparently Disney would pay me about $670.00 a month for a 40 hour work week and my living expenses would likely run around $700 a month. Even I could do the math on that one.
But I was not to be discouraged and Holly had an idea....(stay tuned for Part II)
Sweet Holly the summer of '88
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