begins with a bang as James and Tara head back to New York on the first day of the month. Let's set the scene, shall we?
Picture if you will a hot, muggy Sunday afternoon in August.
Imagine an innocent couple settling into an over-packed, rusty 4-door sedan without air conditioning or a will to survive, but with a blinding vengeance and a complex close to that of Stephen King's "Christine."
See, in your mind's eye, the young man generously pouring oil into the engine and then firmly closing the hood while whispering a silent prayer that the rest of the trip will be uneventful.
Now watch as the sedan reaches a speed of about 40 mph, a gust of wind lifts the hood, smashes against
the windshield with a force so great that the metal wraps around the edges on either side, and a sound so
loud that the innocent couple may have permanent eardrum damage.
And now imagine that you have the emotional hormonal range of a woman a month and a half into her
pregnancy or that you are the partner of the same woman.
Prizm, 23. James and Tara, 0.
A very kind state trooper points them in the direction of a body shop, where the even kinder owner leaves his barbecue to beat the hood into submission with a large hammer. On the last bang, he tells the couple that they probably shouldn't try to open the hood anymore. Ever. Awesome. Also, the gigantic crack in the windshield could pose a problem, but since the car miraculously passed inspection a few weeks ago, the Prizm thinks it has another year of terrorizing and manipulating its poor owners.
With white-knuckles and a rage for the Prizm that has surpassed any other in the last six years, Tara and James make it back to Brooklyn in one piece, not without having a very special conversation regarding upcoming funeral arrangements for their car. They contact a junkyard, arrange a time and a place, and the deal is on. Once the cash is in his hand and all the necessary paperwork is turned over to the authorities, James takes some parting shots.
And that, as they say, is that.
Other events that take place this month...
James attends a bachelor party extravaganza with some pals, skeet shooting and brewery touring in Pennsylvania.
In an act of supreme generosity, Andy Barry, James's dad, sells his pristine 2009 Nissan Versa to his son and daughter-in-law. It's sparkling navy blue with a souped-up sound system, perfect oil-change attendance and the lack of desire to anger or harm its owners.
James's sister, Amanda, and her fiance, Chad, celebrate their engagement with a super fun party. There's a live band, prizes and tons of family and friends.
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| James and his dad, Andy and sister, Amanda |
Tara and James attend the wedding of two wonderful friends, Brian Sell and Amy Hattemer, in New Canaan, CT. It is a beautiful day filled with love, joy and music.
The last weekend of the month belongs to Chicago as Tara and James fly to the Windy City for a much needed vacation. They stay at the legendary Drake Hotel...
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| The Shining, anyone? |
They eat at some amazing restaurants...
spend quality time listening to bad lounge club banter between a mother-son duo at the hotel
and best of all, visit best friends Tabitha and Shawn McKown....
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| James about to hurt himself with sausage. |
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| Tara might be a vampire. Tab is definitely beautiful. |
If you would like to continue to follow the adventures of Tara and James as they head into the Autumn, click "Older Posts" below. If you have had enough and are breathing heavily into a paper bag, stop here. If you just want a peanut butter sandwich, go to the kitchen and fix yourself one.
