desperate times for desperate people

ah, yes, colorado springs.....a stop we all remember......... with different perspectives.

here's mine. we were desperate for a place to stay. not only did we need a shower but during the gas shortage you could not buy gasoline in colorado on the weekend (or something like that). i had a name on the mooch list and was coerced into making the call. i hated it.....calling a complete stranger and asking for a place to stay. a phone was secured inside a denny's or something like it and i called...."hi, my name is bill hansen and you lived next door to my family in puerto rico in 1960 and my mom said you could help me and my 2 friends if we needed a place to stay during our summer trip" . much to my surprise the gentleman who answered the phone knew me (or my family) and said "sure, the family is camping in the mountains and i'm about to go join them, but come on up and spend the night, i don't mind at all"......wow, military family's really do take care of each other..i was impressed and made sure that hank and joe knew how important it was that we don't screw this up. be nice and leave the house like we were never there. joe has reminded me that i had him so nervous that while walking thru the dinning room or living room he ran into a chair and immediately apologized to the chair. anyway, shower, food and a bed.......great night of living. the decision was made to leave sunday prior to the family's return. we agreed on the parking lot of a hotel (holiday inn, ramada inn....don't remember) with a gas station right next door. why a hotel, well....hank informed us that the movie "1000 clowns" was playing that evening and was a must see for joe and i and back then hotel lobby's had a tv. the hotel also had a swimming pool and clean bathrooms. i did enjoy the movie "everybody on the street for volleyball" and even though i do not remember 'kachup soup' or 'carrying bags for tips' it sounds all to true. the evening/night was much more entertaining. we were doing our normal sleeping arrangements :1 on top, 1 inside and 1 underneath. i could not sleep and wandered into the lobby to write a letter to katie. night manager asked "what room # are you in?" well, not an experienced storyteller i told the truth and we were kicked out of the back parking lot.......we ended up next door at the waffle shop with joe and hank drinking a bottomless cup of coffee and having a intellectual exchange that was above my comprehension.....and.... the landcruiser was placed in line with others at the gas station.

we were headed to florida (~1,844 miles) with no particular stops of interest (besides new orleans).........hot, flat interstate driving for the next week or so..........