Well in Body, Down in Spirit. Homeward Bound

Just received a call from George who is currently at a Bed & Breakfast in Red Bay. He is just fine. Not hurt, not even a scratch. The bike and camera however are finished, along with his trip. Story is that he was carefully and slowly navigating some of the slipperiest gravel he has ever encountered. He said the stones were round and polished and felt like ice.

He was calling from a borrowed phone line at the local community center, so he did not have time for explicit details. All I know for sure is that he is unhurt, but the bike took a tumble into a ditch rendering it totaled. To add insult to injury, his camera lens was “forcibly removed” from the body, and the body now has a huge crack and also therefore totaled.  I am happy he is OK, that everything is insured, and happy that digital cameras have memory cards that save his priceless photos.

First step is to contact Progressive to square away bike & camera details. Next is to locate a rental car. Sounds like he has an idea of the flights involved, but he needs to book. He also needs to get a hold of some check-able bags into which he can stow his belongings on the flight. It’s going to take days, and without reliable phone access, is going to be a pain in the butt (understatement???). However, if he found a B&B that means there are people. He has help. In our travels together we’ve always been pleasantly surprised at how gracious and kind the majority of the population is. The mean people are just louder.

The biggest thing I’m worried about right now is his spirit. He was one day and one ferry away from his destination. I could hear the complete frustration in his voice. Wish I could have been with him, if for no other reason but to hug him. I think he has to just work his way through this initial slam to the spirit with his head going 100 mph trying to figure everything out. He just needs one thing to go right for his mind to settle down, and he can just fall into the rhythm of getting home. Anything…like car rental being simple, someone on the line at Progressive been helpful and efficient…something just working properly. Then the panic subsides.

Again, I just wish I could be there.

ennie

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