The Terrible Catsafterme

There was a girl, a most enchanted girl, named Erin Rudd whose path I crossed many times as a child – but as far as either of us can recall, with whom I never spoke. The first time I saw Erin was when she, along with her brother Joel, attended Discovery House day care center in the Summer of 1979. Whether she went there for a day, a week, or a month I’m not sure. The only thing I know is that she and Joel started Fairbrook Elementary that Fall. She was entering third grade, I was entering second, Joel was entering first. I recognized both of them from Discovery House and this is as far as the proof goes that they ever attended.

So Erin and I went to Fairbrook together for the next four years, starring in the talent show that I watched, going to skating parties, walking the same halls as me, and even living in the next neighborhood over from me. In fact I followed her into Mrs. Owens’ fifth grade class and then into Mr. Turner’s sixth grade class. She was a very charming girl, both cute and beautiful, so whenever she was near me, I would take notice. The summer after sixth grade, she moved to Benicia, California, near San Francisco.

Erin in sixth grade, Fairbrook Elementary

But in tenth grade, she came back once again. One of her best friends, Nathalie Bennett, lived in my neighborhood and she often came to visit her. Another of her best friends, Mary VanSchaik dated one of my best friends, Lance. Still we never spoke. The coincidences didn’t end there, as my sister Denise and my girlfriend Christi  became friends with Joel, and occasionally would visit Erin’s apartment during our college years. After these years, she returned to California, got married, had two kids, and then moved on to Charleston, South Carolina.

I hadn’t really spoken to Erin – except for some small talk and Facebook wall exchanges regarding Farkle scores – until March 21, 2010. That day we became friends, giving each other – of all things – relationship advise. From there we began to chat further, then talk on the phone, and finally take the plunge to meet up during a trip to Gatlinburg.

So after work on Friday, April 9, I headed south from the store I was visiting in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky. I drove and drove five hours or so to the Motel 6 in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, and checked in that evening. I was very excited at the prospect of hanging out all day on Saturday with Erin, my new friend, who as I was driving down, was driving up from Charleston.

On Saturday, we met up and headed into Gatlinburg to visit the town – and each other. It was a great day I will likely not soon forget. We began with lunch just before noon at the Hard Rock Cafe. Sometimes you get a two-fer in a big way. Lunch with a lovely lady, and this my fourth Hard Rock of the year, 24th total. I didn’t hesitate one bit before ordering my favorite – the Hickory Smoked BBQ Bacon Burger. I had warned Erin in advance about my website and bizarre picture-taking rituals, so she was already on board as we explored the joint after lunch. In fact, she was quite a picture-taker herself.

Outside Hard Rock Cafe #24

Proving that I was in Gatlinburg

Erin gets into the spirit of ‘digging in’

With a Thunderbird bass guitar, owned and signed by Tom Petersson of Cheap Trick

Handwritten track list for Yoko Ono’s album Sometime, and more importantly the reindeer bells that John Lennon jingled in the song Happy Xmas (War is Over)

Tiger Stripe toms from Peter Criss’ drumkit used in a KISS Halloween performance at Dodger Stadium

As the clock passed one, we left the Hard Rock Cafe and headed south through the main strip of Gatlinburg. We made a pit stop at a store called Cooter’s to check out one of the General Lee cars that was used in the Dukes of Hazzard TV show. And of course, I had to shove my face into any hole I came across.

One of the General Lee’s, this one at Cooter’s

I can hardly bear the em-bear-assmant

Our leisurely walk continued to the Sky Lift. The last gal I had went up in this with was the gal I had just married. Maybe this was an omen! We made the fifteen-minute cable car ride up the mountain and came to the top where there was a conveniently-located gift shop and area to overlook the Smoky Mountains. Erin treated me to a Yoo-Hoo and its chocolaty goodness. We sipped our drinks, got some pictures, observed heavy women with tattoos, tried on each others glasses, and then headed back down.

Getting ready for the Sky Lift on the practice seat

Heading up the mountain

Overlooking the Great Smoky Mountains. I love Yoo-Hoo. I love Yoo-Hoo too.

It was around 3pm when we reached the end of the strip, and in fact the end of Gatlinburg. Here we posed on the Gatlinburg welcome signs. We would hit the Smoky Mountain signs on the way out. Erin and I crossed to the other side of the strip and began our trek back. Our next stop would be at the Hollywood Star Cars Museum.

Erin seductively lounges about on the Gatlinburg sign

I strike a more manly pose. But you should see the pictures I’m not including.

This was an interesting place that had been built using the collection of George Barris, a designer of many Hollywood film cars. In many cases, there had been more than one such car used in any given film, and I think the descriptions on the cars were sometimes deliberately vague as to whether they were seen on screen, used for promotion, or designed as a back-up for example. But still, it was fun to see a movie about the history of the museum and then explore all of the famous cars from TV shows and movies. There were also several celebrity-owned vehicles from some dignitaries such as Bob Hope, Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, and Dolly Parton.

Gatlinburg’s finest: Hollywood Star Cars

One of the 1981 DeLoreans used in one of the Back to the Future films

A 1921 Oldsmobile Touring Sedan used in the 1993 Beverly Hillbillies feature

A 1961 Ford Mayberry Squad Car from The Andy Griffith Show

One of the jeeps used in M*A*S*H. Radar and BJ look on.

So Radar may have been well-meaning, but close-up he was hideous

The Ghostbusters mobile

I was so glad to see Erin’s playful nature, as she tries to mount one of the Star Cars

K.I.T.T. (actually a 1982 Pontiac Trans-Am). That’s not really David Hasselhoff

And these most certainly aren’t Crockett and Tubbs

One of the Drag-u-la cars used in one episode, the credits, and later TV films of The Munsters

Golden-Erin with one of the James Bond cars

Dinosaur attack over Ford Explorer Tour Car from Jurassic Park

This 1958 Plymouth Fury – aka Christine – is coming to get me

In the Flintstones mobile

A mini Love Bug Volkswagon outside the museum. Somehow my favorite photo of all.

We left Star Cars about 4:15 and immediately hit our next adventure, the Ripley’s Haunted Adventure. I had seen this attraction’s counterpart in Myrtle Beach in 2006 and didn’t find it all that scary, despite the warnings that it was the scariest thing since moldy sliced bread full of bats. These things just simply don’t scare me, so I always come out looking like the bravest man in the world as I lead the troup through the haunted house.

We then made our way back to the other end of the strip and picked up some Hard Rock souvenir. I got the standard stuff for my Mom’s friend Connie. We had a bit of time to kill, so we found a little coffee shop called the Donut Friar and got Erin a coffee, me a hot chocolate, and we split a Bavarian Cream Pillow.

Stopping by the scenic Little Pigeon river along our walk

Erin Go Braghless sign in the Donut Friar

On the way out of town, the historic Great Smoky Mountains sign

The next event in our day of fun was to hit the Dixie Stampede. I’ve always enjoyed Dolly Parton’s dinner theater presentation that offers fun music, southern-style horseback competitions, and food that you can eat with your hands (whole rotisserie chicken, BBQ pork loin, creamy vegetable soup, corn on the cob, potato, biscuit, and an apple turnover).

It started with a fun bluegrass pre-show where we got our traditional drinks served in the boot cups: a frozen orange blossom special for me. Then we moved into the big theater where the show began. I wasn’t sure whether to choose the north side or the south since Erin was from South Carolina. But ultimately I stuck with our roots…thankfully; the North was victorious.

Drinking from our shoes during the pre-show

As fun as the show was, the most entertaining moment happened just after we were seated, when I was sitting there minding my own business when suddenly a fat little boy fell from the sky and landed on the table, throwing the plates, cups, and silverware askew. Actually he had tripped over the back of the seat. He scraped his shin and his Dad yelled at him. Not funny, yet completely hilarious.

With one of the wimpier riders of the Dixie Stampede. But nevertheless, he helped lead the North to victory.

Erin and I had such a great time that day, that we decided to meet up for lunch the next day before we headed back home. We came to a consensus to try to find a sushi spot, both certain that we had spotted one the day before. We didn’t find the one that we had seen, but we did find another one. Amazingly, we actually located an all-you-can-eat special. This is the only one to date that I have found outside of Las Vegas and California. It was called Kinkaku Japanese Steak House and it was quite good, especially with the unbeatable price of $15.95. We started out with three rolls each, among them the Rainbow, Caterpillar, Dragon, Volcano, and deep-friend Crispy Tuna roll. We barely finished these. I was delighted though, that although Erin is probably the smallest girl I’ve ever known, she could put away the sushi.

 Erin surveys the mounds of sushi we are about to consume

Karma was with us on this grand day

Before we said our goodbyes to drive back home, we went down to a woodsy area between Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge by the peaceful Little Pigeon River. Here we sat, chatted, and discussed old times and new times. It was probably the nicest part of the weekend. We headed out of Gatlinburg to our respective home cities at around quarter to three.

A similar self-portrait showed a shadowy figure approaching us from behind. Thank goodness they didn’t have a mask or knife, because when we turned around, she was actually there!

Our serene view of the Little Pigeon

Oh the river is wise. The river, it touches my life like the waves on the sand. And all roads lead to tranquility base, where the frown on my face disappears.

Here’s hoping that Erin and I can meet again soon to continue the adventures that we started here. Somehow I think we may.

2010 will continue…

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 20th, 2010 at 6:36 am and is filed under 2010's - Early, Movies, Reunions, Television, Vacations. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.