Traveling with Marthella
by Helen Jones
(Published with permission from the Author)
My first experience traveling out of town with Marthella was in 1989 to the AIS Convention in Memphis. We had heard for three days that we had to go to O'Dell Nursery before we left Tennessee. So, we started out, we drove and drove. I was starting to think we were on our way to Virginia when the sign appeared. We asked about where to find certain things and were directed up this road. We got to a stopping place, pulled over and started to get out. It was raining, I might add, so there was red mud everywhere. I looked down at my new white tennies and new white pants. I gave Wauzelia my umbrella and told her I would just stay in the car and read. After what seemed hours, Wauzelia came back with a tree among other things. I said "Where is Marthella?" "Well, the last I saw of her she was going across to the other hill", was the reply. I looked across this valley and saw Marthella tromping along in the rain . We waited and talked about the convention. Finally, she came back to the car. I asked "Is this all you got?" "Oh, no, the rest is down where we pay." So, we drove down there and stopped. The rest of it was several buckets of plants and a Buckeye tree. Marthella said "Aren't you going to get anything?" My answer was, "And where do you think we are going to put it, on my lap? No, I have my little columbine Mr. Brown gave to me". She started to put the purchases in the car, saying as she did so, "There is not room. Some lady had to bring the whole closet." I said "Oh, let me repack this car." I got everything in including two trees, and away we drove back home.
Well, I guess once was not enough, so the next year we started to Omaha. This time I drove. We were going to stop at the toll gate to pick up Leigh Ellis. Well, I got a couple of car lengths past the gate, and Marthella says "Aren't you going to stop for Leigh?" I backed up and got Leigh and away we go. When we got to the gate in Tulsa, Marthella said "Look at that water running down the ditch. It has come a little shower." We paid our toll and drove on. Just a little ways down the road I was sure that the little shower had turned into another great flood. I asked "Can anyone see, because I sure can't." Marthella said, "Well, you haven't hit anyone yet, so keep on going." On the road, we passed a statuary place and I said, "I want to stop there on the way back, because Daddy always says we don't have the time." Both riders said "Oh."
We had been talking about staying the night at Ft. Scott, Kansas. You know what happened - three ladies in a car talking. I missed the exit. This was a problem as I knew there wasn't much else until we got to Kansas City. Marthella said, "Just go on and I will find us a place. Just turn in when I say turn." Well, she did, I turned and stopped. She was out of that car in a flash. She was back in a minute saying "I got us a place, just go to the left. It is right there."
We got out and went in. I said, "Our chicken house at the farm was better than this." I am not sure we even took our clothes off to sleep. At daybreak, we were out of there like it was on fire. When we got on the road, Leigh and I both said, "You are not going to pick our motel rooms ever again." I might add that she has not. As we started home it was suggested we go back by the Air Base Garden, so we did and Marthella was in charge of the map. She got us on a road to go back to the road home. I kept saying "Are you sure?" She said, "Yes." When we got to a bridge that said toll bridge, I said "Hey, you never said anything about a toll bridge. Let me see that map." We came on down the road and turned off at the motel that yours truly missed on the way going up. I got out this time, got the room, we went in and to bed we went.
Everything sounds fine, so far, doesn't it? It rained during the night and we talked about that fact while we were getting ready to leave. We went out to the car and guess what? Marthella had rolled down the windows the night before, they stayed down, and the seat was wet. We dried if off as best we could, found something to put on it and away we went.
When we got to the statuary place, I stopped and said, "Be careful what you buy. We dont have much room." That stop was okay, we only purchased a few small things we could stick in small places.
As we got closer to Tulsa, I made the mistake of asking if there was any place anyone wanted to stop. Of course, Marthella wanted to go to a nursery she had been told about "somewhere off Mingo." Being the good friend and the driver, I got off at the Mingo exit. We drove around looking until I was about to say, "Are you sure there is such a place?", when she said "There it is." We pulled in and I reminded them to watch how much they bought or they might have to hold it in their lap. Yep, you guessed it. Marthella had to hold it from Tulsa to Oklahoma City.
That is just some of the things that have happened to us since we have been going places together. Marthella is a fun person to travel with and I hope we have many more travels together.