BIG CHANGES... better times (Part 104d)

We were back at the house by 4pm and Harry was there. He hadn’t shaved but at least appeared to be sober. While Nan and Elle prepared for supper I asked him about a record album I’d seen on his desk. I’d been a country music lover from the time I was old enough to operate and listen to a radio. By this time I’d narrowed my interest to a type of acoustic country music called Bluegrass. The album was by a group called the Country Gentlemen and I’d discovered (and liked) them back when I was still working with the racehorses. He told me they were based out of DC and made a comment that the banjo player in the group was a childhood friend. That impressed me. While we listened to some of the cuts on the album he got up and grabbed a newspaper. He rifled through it and then, somewhat excitedly, asked if I wanted to go see them in person. I didn’t hesitate for a second.

When he walked into the kitchen to tell Nan what he was planning it was the first time I observed her actually saying anything to Harry. She wasn’t pleased with his plan and told him that they had two guests and he was out of line ignoring Elle. Elle bailed him out in saying that she wasn’t really interested. He, trying to make back some ”points“ noted that we wouldn’t be leaving for the club until after the kids went to bed. That pretty much ended the discussion. However, right after that Harry headed for the refrigerator for a beer. I noted that Nan had a frown on her face as he did but didn't say anything.

By the time we left Harry wasn’t exactly drunk but was well on the way. I volunteered to drive as my wagon was blocking the driveway and his car. The name of the club we were headed for was the Cellar Door and it was in downtown DC. I was rapidly finding out parking in the District was a problem. By the time we got to the place, a dingy, smoke filled, cellar filled with small tables, the music had already started. It was a ”house band“ and Harry knew some of the band members. It was exciting for me as it was my first experience at seeing live bluegrass music. At around 10pm the Country Gentlemen started their set and Harry pointed out the banjo player. After they’d played a few numbers Harry, now drunk, stumbled up to the front and got the banjo players attention. He acknowledged Harry and then returned to playing some more. At that point Harry was in his glory. When the set was over the banjo player came over to the table and sat with us for a few minutes and Harry bought him a beer. A nice guy, he told me to take care of Harry and then left.

We stayed for the second set and by the end Harry was hardly able to stand. I had a hard time getting him up the stairs and out of the place. Then I had to go find my wagon. I left Harry sitting up against the building while I went looking for it. It took a while and by the time I got back Harry was out cold, just like the night before. I double parked while trying to rouse him and a cop pulled in behind me. Not what I wanted to see. However, luck was with me and when I asked him how to get back to the suburb where Harry and Nan lived he was able to give me directions. Finding the specific development they lived in was the real problem. By the time we got there and into the house it was after 2am. Harry said he would ”crash“ on the couch which was fine by me.

I’d only had a couple of beers but by the time I woke up the next morning it was after 9am. I’d had a thought of leaving for North Carolina on that day but when I appeared in the kitchen Elle and Nan had the rest of the day already planned out. Like the previous morning, Harry was no where to be seen. I found the situation between Nan and Harry to be somewhat strange as well as strained and I was uncomfortable with it. I’d not had a chance to talk with Elle to find out what she knew about it which made it more difficult for me. As Nan was her long time good friend I didn’t want to say or do anything to upset either of them so agreed to go along. Getting up so late turned out to short circuit my hope of exploring Nan's panty drawer. As Elle and I readied ourselves to leave all I could do was to look longingly at it hoping for another chance.

The day was to be a combination of things for the kids to see as well as some of the famous sights for Elle and I to view. Surprisingly, the first stop was a brand new enclosed shopping mall. It was the first one Elle or I’d ever seen and it was humongous. There were three large department stores within it with the only one we’d heard of being J C Penney. Thankfully, we didn’t stay long although I would've liked to spend an hour or two by myself to peruse their lingerie departments. We got on the just completed Capital Beltway that completely circumnavigated DC and got off at the Pennsylvania Avenue exit. One of the places we were going to look at was the White House which made Pennsylvania Avenue famous. Nan told me to take a right hand turn at the first light and to pull over to the side after we did. I was puzzled. As soon as I stopped Nan told me to look at the building on the opposite side of the street. I saw a rather strange looking three story office building with mostly glass on the second and third floors. There appeared to be some retail stores on the first floor but they were hard to see as the second floor was overhanging the facades. It was at least three hundred feet long and to make it even more of a curiosity it was curved from end to end. Nan then told us that Harry was the architect who had designed it. It sure looked weird to me but I wasn’t going to tell Nan.

To be continued...