Group Writing Project #4
None of these people belong to me, I've just borrowed them for the purposes of the story. Thank you Western for lending them to me.
You'll find that this chapter doesn't move the original mysteries along too much, but I took the liberty of tossing another into the pot, instead. Enjoy.
Bob-Whites Trip Log, Day 1 - Westchester County
Di drove down route 133 into the heart of Sleepyside passing the library, a modern looking two-story edifice of glass and concrete, then turning down Highland Avenue AKA route 9 which ran up and down along the coast of the Hudson river. They couldn't see the river from the road here but up north there were some gorgeous views. They passed the Sleepyside Downtown Shopping Area on the right and the Sleepyside Junior-Senior High school on the right.
"Never again," Trixie cheered and slapped palms with Honey and Di. "We made it."
"We're supposed to meet Mom at that Mediterranean restaurant in Mamaroneck for lunch, aren't we?" Jim said as they left the downtown area for a more residential one. "We've got a couple of hours; anyone want to make any stops?"
"Wal-Mart," said Mart...to loud boos. Mart had been immediately captivated when the store had opened a few miles from Sleepyside.
"That's in the wrong direction," Dan pointed out. "The only one in Westchester is up in Mohegan Lake."
"Forget that," Trixie said impatiently. "That blue car is still following us."
"Don't worry, I think I can lose him," Di said as she maneuvered the car onto route 117 towards Pleasantville and from there on to the Sawmill River Parkway.
They continued the conversation about how to kill time before they met Mrs. Wheeler for lunch as Di drove down the curvy parkway towards NYC.
"How about the Galleria or the Westchester?" Honey asked, mentioning the two big malls in White Plains. "There are still a few things I'm going to need for the trip."
"But where are we going to fit anything else?" Jim asked exasperatedly.
"Leave it to me," Di said expansively. In addition to her talents with highway police, she also was known for her packing miracles.
"The Westchester might be fine for you rich folk, but it's a little too rich for us Beldens." Mart said.
"You heard the lad," Dan said, affecting an absurd accent, "The Galleria then, and step on it, Di"
"We've passed I-287, I'll have to take another route," Di commented. "Any ideas?"
"The blue car is still following us," Brian said.
"Get off here," Trixie said suddenly. "And make the first left then go left on Ardsly Road."
Di made a sharp right on to the Dobbs Ferry Exit ramp. The car swerved in a sharp U as she barely made the light. "Got him," Di said as the other car was caught by the light.
"This is probably the best way to get to White Plains from here," Trixie said as they passed downtown Ardsley on the left. "We can get on the Bronx River Parkway in Scarsdale."
"No, we can't," Dan pointed out. "It's Sunday."
He didn't need to elaborate. The Bronx River Parkway was closed on Sundays for bikers and skaters and the group had gone over often to enjoy this.
"So we'll take the streets," Di said. "We have plenty of time."
Trixie directed them along the curves of Ardsley Road.
"How did you figure out this route?" asked Jim, "I never would have thought of it."
Mart answered, "Moms doesn't like the parkways too much, she says everyone drives too fast along the curves. It's also the quickest way to Central Avenue, where she shops occasionally. She usually takes route 9 down to Dobbs Ferry and then comes down this route."
Jim cut him off, "There's the blue car again. Any bright ideas, Trixie?"
"I don't think we'll take Central Avenue up." Instead, she instructed Di to cross over and start down the steep curves that led into Scarsdale.
"Rollercoaster road," Mart yelped. This had been the Belden family description of the many hilly hairpin curves around Westchester since they were kids.
Trixie had Di follow the road through Scarsdale until it dead-ended made a left and then, instead of going straight which would have led them into White Plains, curve without signaling on to the second right hand fork of a five lane intersection.
"I presume there is some method in your madness, sister dear," Brian commented wryly.
"Watch and learn, Brian, watch and learn."
"I'm almost sad that we're not spending this summer in Westchester," Trixie said thoughtfully, breaking the silence. "There's so much to do around here, and we've never done half of it. Why think of all we're going to miss, the firemen's parade and carnival, the county fair at Yonkers Raceway, the Renaissance fair across the river in Tuxedo."
"The camping, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, sailing, biking, swimming," Jim added.
"Swim team," Honey said with a sigh. "The meets at Playland were the best."
"Playland," Mart repeated. The small amusement park and beach was a favorite way for all the Bob-Whites to spend a hot summer day. "And Sing Sing State Prison." A local 'attraction', which was not, but also brought a few laughs.
"The concerts and other activities across the river at West Point," Brian added.
"New York and all it has to offer," Dan said. Even after several years in Westchester, he was still a city boy at heart.
"The shopping," Di said causing a few laughs. She'd developed a taste for both high fashion and bargain hunting the last few years dragging Trixie and Honey on endless shopping trips.
After the laughter died down she said, "I think we've lost them. Do I turn left here, Trixie?"
"How about a little bit of misdirection just to be certain. Go straight here then turn right on to the Heathcote bypass; this will bring you around the intersection we just crossed and head you into White Plains along route 125."
"I don't know why this is called Mamaroneck Road," Di commented, "It doesn't go anywhere near Mamaroneck."
"Who knows," Mart said throwing his hands up and nearly hitting both Dan and Brian in the process. "What I've never understood is the difference between highways and parkways."
"I know that," Trixie said, "Parkways don't allow trucks or commercial vehicles."
"I always get confused between routes 9, 9A, 9D, and 9W," Honey said.
"Ok," Jim said. "Let's see. 9 is the important one. It follows the course of the Hudson river from Hastings-on-Hudson up to Peekskill, where it veers inland towards Poughkeepsie and points north. There are two sections of 9A. One starts inland at Pleasantville and meets 9 north of Sleepyside, where it follows the road for a couple of miles and 9 becomes a highway. The other follows the west side of Manhattan and the Bronx. 9D follows the coast starting in Peekskill when 9 veers inland and 9W follows the western side of the Hudson. We're on the eastern side." He added needlessly, "If you hadn't wanted to say good-bye to the school, we could have taken 9A or the Taconic State Parkway to Pleasantville and then switched to the Sawmill. Most of the highways radiate out from NYC to serve commuters, so going across Westchester instead of south isn't always easy."
"Turn left here," Trixie said. "The Galleria is on Martine Avenue.
Di turned the car into a parking space in the Galleria. "Who's for the next leg?" They had made a rule that if they stopped the car for more than 10 minutes the next driver in rotation would take over.
Honey took the keys from her, saying, "I'll do it." She knew that the next leg would be a short one - White Plains to Mamaroneck for lunch. "Meet back here in an hour, it'll take about 1/2 hour to get to Mamaroneck and we don't want to be late."
"Any idea why Mom suggested this?" Jim asked. "Not that I'm complaining or anything...free food is free food, but hasn't she been out of the country?"
"No idea at all," Honey said. "I'm as mystified as you. Maybe she just wanted to see us, since we'll be gone all summer." She had wondered though, when her mother had called if she... No, she couldn't be, she'd given that up long before Honey was born. Too many losses. She rarely spoke of that time of her life with Honey, and had asked her not to tell the others. But still, there had been so many trips of late, and her mother had sounded so odd on the phone.
"Come on, Honey." Trixie dragged her in to the Yankee Clubhouse shop and Honey put her worries out of her mind, she'd know soon enough after all.
The shopping went without impediment and they stuffed a few more packages into the car with many winces and groans and headed out with Honey at the wheel down Mamaroneck Avenue. The ride to the restaurant was uneventful and everyone cheered as Honey snagged a space in front of the restaurant on the strip of shops that was downtown Mamaroneck. And there was Madeleine Wheeler, immaculate as ever, waving at them.
"They're putting together a table for us," she said and led them inside.
It was a small restaurant that had opened a couple of years before and was one of the Bob-Whites' favorites. They always stopped to eat here on the way back from Playland, except on Mondays when it was closed and then they had pizza at Sal's. Everyone decided quickly what they wanted to order and then the talk turned to their plans for the summer and what they wanted to see and do.
Trixie proposed, "I want to see as many baseball stadiums as I can. Especially Wrigley Field." She waved a forkful of Lamb Mediterranean.
Di winced. "No baseball talk, please. You guys always end up arguing." She was the only member of the group that wasn't an ardent baseball fan. And any baseball discussion caused arguments since Brian and Jim were Yankee fans, Honey and Dan claimed that since the Dodgers moved out of Brooklyn the only team they could root for was the Mets, Trixie was a vehement Cubs fan and Mart was a Boston Red Sox fan. The only thing they all had in common was a hatred of the Braves. "Besides, Mrs. Wheeler probably doesn't like baseball either."
"On the contrary, I attended my share of Dodgers games at Ebbets Field back when there was an Ebbets Field." Mrs. Wheeler smiled. "But out of deference to Di, I think we should change the subject. Does anyone want any dessert. They make the best baklava that I've tasted since Turkey."
"We should probably get on the road if we want to reach DC by dinnertime," Brian said.
Mrs. Wheeler paid the check and then walked them to the car where she extracted a manila envelope from her leather briefcase. "Honey, would you do me a favor and pass this on to Daniel while you're in Washington." She turned to the other Bob-Whites, "Daniel Stuart is an old friend of my father's. Perhaps he'll take you out to dinner one night while you're in DC."
Daniel Stuart...Honey just barely kept her cool, and said carefully, "I thought you had ended that long ago."
Mrs. Wheeler hesitated and then said, "You know how it goes. When Daniel got the appointment he asked if I could do some freelance work, and he's such an old and dear friend."
Freelance work my foot, Honey thought, she's in this up to her eyeballs. Well, she's not going to discuss this in the middle of Mamaroneck Avenue. Aloud she said, "So what's the best way to get to the George Washington bridge from here? I-95?" They'd passed the exit on the way down from White Plains.
"No, take the Hutch to the Cross County Parkway, and follow that until it turns into the Henry Hudson Parkway. That will avoid the traffic in the Bronx," Mrs. Wheeler said. There was always traffic in the Bronx.
Honey gave Dan the keys and then tucked the envelope her mother had given her out of sight under the seat. Better to be safe. Who knew what was in it...
She sat up to realize that Trixie was staring at her. "Your mother works," the other girl said in an astonished tone of voice. "I thought she just sat around looking pretty and told others to do things."
This caused a round of jokes at Mrs. Wheeler's expense and no one noticed in the din that Honey hadn't answered. By the time the car had crossed the Henry Hudson bridge into Manhattan, the subject had changed and changed again.
"We can't possibly be in Manhattan," Di said. "Those are woods."
"My mom loves this route," Honey said. And she thought, "She says it gives one a different view of Manhattan." Mom also said she'd retired for good before I was born and now she's working for Daniel Stuart. The director of the FBI, Daniel Stuart. And I get to introduce him to Trixie..."
Mart started singing, "Over the river and through the woods. To Washington we go. The car knows the way..."
Honey jumped in, trying not to think about it, "All night and all day, we've got a long way to go, oh...."
And they continued laughing and singing over the GW bridge and on to the New Jersey Turnpike towards Washington.