It was 40 years ago today that I got on a Greyhound bus from Pittsburgh and moved up to Blooming Grove to hang out with Rip! I was a senior in college and had a job working at a store called The Paper Bag at the Monroeville Mall. Rip was set up outside of my store doing an art show, and I was home from college for the week-end, and every time Id walk out of my store Rip would try to get my attention and talk to me. He had a beard down to his waist and hair just as long and was wearing a leather visor and had jeans that were solid patches! I had just had an engagement broken off with what I thought was the love of my life and then along comes this totally crazy hippy who wants me to move up to the mountains with him. Well...I thought about it for about 15 minutes and thought what the hell...Ill show him (the ex-finance)! Rip left to go back to Blooming Grove and I had to tie up some lose ends like telling my poor mother that I had quit my job and college and was moving 5 hours away with a total stranger.....oh and by the way hes 8 years older than me and he doesnt have a phone. I look back and think how did she ever let me go?? She certainly was upset and I thought at the time whats the problem?? So off to the Poconos I went on a Greyhound bus. Several things Rip didnt tell me in advance: 1. He lived with three other guys. 2. He had a girlfriend. and 3. There was no indoor plumbing. I remember the first time I saw this house and there was a big pot belly stove in the living room and I wondered what that contraption could possibly be for?? Then I wandered around this little cottage looking for the bathroom and kept thinking I must not see the door....perhaps its hidden?? What a shock to find out it was out there. I had never heard of an out house! Then in sheer desperation I finally HAD to go out there. What an experience that was! There was a pencil hanging from a long string so you could write your thoughts, poems, rants or what ever...very interesting reading if you would want to linger out there, which I didnt! The roof was shingled with Mountain Dew cans and one night while out there a huge gust of wind blew the door off! I never experienced a place like Blooming Grove in the early 70s, it was one long party, mostly down at a place called The Farm. What an amazing cast of characters, some of which Im still dear friends with today! What I was really looking forward too though was our trip we were all going to take down to The Florida Keys. What a long strange trip that was!! No money and one crazy adventure after another! So here it is 40 years latter! Rip and I were up sitting in our rocking chairs this evening in what will be our new home reminiscing about how it all happened! Some times you just have to take a leap of faith and throw caution to the wind to meet your destiny. How fearless I was then!! Rip is my soul mate!! My mother said right up to her last day....I never thought you were going to stay!! Im glad I did.
Posted on: Tue, 28 Oct 2014 23:43:28 +0000
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