Chester Chatter: Feeling the burn

By Ruthie Douglas
©2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC

My husband Don traveled for his company. He usually flew out of Logan in Boston when he going out of the country and Bradley Field when he was traveling in the states.

His company usually drove him to the airport. However, one time everything got mixed up and he asked me to drive him to Kennedy Airport in New York City. I told him he was crazy, but in the end agreed.

Don taped the driving directions to the dashboard of the car. We pulled up to the curb at the Kennedy terminal,  Don jumped out of the car and I headed for home. Once out of the airport, I went left when I should have gone right. That’s when I realized that the directions were written for coming, not going. I stopped at the next red light to get my bearings, got out a Kent cigarette and pushed in the lighter. Behind me were lots of cars anxious to move. But just as the lights changed, the lighter popped out.

In my nervousness over all the cars behind me tooting and honking, I quickly picked up the lighter. But I missed the Kent and I lit my nose. Wowie. Did it hurt.

Despite the pain, I continued to drive on. To the right was the Statue of Liberty and I realized I couldn’t pull off the road heading into downtown Manhattan.  So up the road to Vermont I went with my nose on fire.

Once I arrived home, I got out the ice and Bag Balm. The burn turned into a large “witch’s bump” on top of my nose,  which I implored all my friends not to make mention of. Just three years ago, I finally had that bump removed by a doctor and, much to my chagrin, no one noticed.

Scene and heard

Happy birthday to my sister Helen in Texas and my son-in-law Joe Bolaski.

Get well wishes to my great granddaughter Willow.

Chester Townscape friends of Suzy Forlie are setting a bench in her memory at the Chester Tomb.

Our hugging and kissing family gathered — without touching — for a cookout at my daughter Jeanie’s home. Both of my grandsons and their significant others were there.

Let’s all give all the support that we can to our local businesses as they slowly and safely open up once again.

And remember that next Sunday, June 14, is Flag Day.