I wasn't sure I would survive the weekend. It was touch 'n go for several hours. No, I wasn't in an accident, or fall victim to some dread illness. It was worse. We had company. Out of town visitors. Staying at our house.
I don't mind company. I like it when people come to see us. I don't even mind it when they stay the night. We have room for a couple of guests. It's not a problem! But here's what descended upon us Friday afternoon: P's nephew John (24). John's girlfriend Diane (19ish). His best friend Jo (23), his wife Jen (19ish), Joe's little sister Brie (16). John's friend Toby (22ish). How many is that? Oh, let's not forget Rick (25). That's seven of 'em.
I don't know many people who have room for seven additional adults in their house. We certainly don't. On Wednesday night P told John that 7 was out of the question. Keep in mind, when he asked us if he could stay about 6 weeks ago, he said "me and a buddy" which, to my way of thinking, means two. Then a few weeks later it was four. We were okay with that. Really. But on Wednesday night when he said there were six coming plus Rick, I almost fainted.
So P said no. Simply no. Four was the max we could accomodate. Well, we didn't hear from them again. But guess how many showed up? To their credit, they didn't stay with us on Thursday night when they got in. They stayed at John's father's apartment. Some on the floor, at least one on a couch, three in a stinky old motor home parked in the driveway. Not exactly luxury accomodations. No showers had by any of them. They weren't fed breakfast.
These kids had NO money. None. They are all broke. They spent their wad on gas and tickets to some amusements around town. This roadtrip was definitely on a shoestring budget.
Friday John wanted to drop by to say hi, since we're family and all. All seven of them (and their stuff) in one small car. On a hot day. It was insane. How could they have made a 5 hour trip like that? Turns out, they only made a 3 hour trip like that. They started out in 2 cars. Halfway here, car #1 broke down.
So they're toodling around Seattle, packed into this car like sardines. They get to our house on Friday afternoon, and you could see the exhaustion on their faces. At the end of the evening, they split up - some of them staying at our house, the others going back to the cramped apartment with only one bathroom. Those that got to stay with us were shaking with gratitude.
Next morning those at our house got up, ate a nice breakfast, showered, etc. and went to pick up the less fortunates at the other place. From there they went into town to do the whirlwind Seattle thing. They came back (all of them) to our house early eveningish. Those poor kids. Hot, exhausted, hungry. So what could we do? We said they could all stay with us. Cheers of glee and joy all around. We fed them pizza and sodas and beers and most of them took showers. The married couple got K's queen bed (in B's room); B slept with us in our king; John and Diane got the double futon downstairs; Brie got the twin bed we pulled out of the storage room and set up in the office; Toby, I believe, slept on the couch in the media room, and Rick slept on the floor. Is that all of them?
On Sunday they all got fed a lovely breakfast prepared by yours truly, before cramming themselves and all their stuff back into the car to make the long journey home.
There was a time when I would have done a roadtrip like this myself. Gladly, joyfully. Like these kids. It was some big adventure for them.
Me, I'm just glad to have my house back. I like having guests. I do, I like having guests. But I especially like it when they go home.
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