Chapter 20

Cora

Charles said, “Turn left, mom ... your other left.” He reached in his pocket and hauled out a Sharpie. Before I could stop him he wrote a huge R on my shifter hand, reached across and put an L on the other. Then he said, “Maybe we won’t have to make so many U-turns in the middle of freeway traffic.”

“Charles William! I do not make U-turns on the freeway!” That required giving it a think, “Well, maybe once or twice.” I made my U-turn so I could go to Charles’ left.

I looked around. Nothing was familiar, not that I expected it to be familiar, I didn’t drive at all in Henniker. Except when we turned off the main road and on to Rush to get to Beck’s house. Now we were on Prospect. Chuck directed me left again on Maple, left on Main, immediate left on Rush and stop.

A girl stepped out from a house with the famous oval with the three A’s. She was carrying a large thick book.

She said, “You have to be Mom, also known as Cora or Jo. Don’t look so confused. Your son ... that has to be the blond sitting next to you ... Hi Chuck ... said you had a Royce. First one I’ve ever seen in the flesh, so to speak ... looks spiffy ... get decent mileage? How about the seats? Are they comfortable. Looks like you have a load ... how does she handle?” and a whole lot more, never taking a visible breath. Breathe and, “Chuck said he was interested in guns, so your first stop is Worcester (She said Wooster) Massachusetts, and Harrington Richardson. So ... turn around and cross the bridge and you’re on NH 114 until 114 breaks off to the left. straight ahead is NH77, at New Boston you pick up NH13 and that takes you to Wooster (worcester)” She was turning blue. “There’s a nice museum there.” Gasp. “Thanks for being a member of Triple A.”

This all was in a thick New Hampshire accent. Think NudeHamsta and take it from there.

She handed the book through the window, and went back in the office.

Beck and Amber were still up Rush street so we motored up to them.

I honked the horn about a million times and hollered, “Kids are home from college!”

Chuck jumped out, grabbed Beck and tossed her on his back, galloped around the house again and dumped her off on the mounting block. Then he grabbed Amber and did the same to her. He was whinnying and neighing; she was screaming like a little kid.

When he slid to a stop she said, “Do it again, Daddy!” and Chuck took off for a second lap. She was beside her self with joy when he dropped her on the mounting block and hugged her and we said good bye ... again.

Beck was still laughing when I U-turned and roared by them and soared across the bridge, we were on Maple, heading south ... Maple is NH114...

We passed through Weare and found the 114/77 split and headed for New Boston and NH13. Lunch seemed like a good idea so we stopped in Brookline NH. We fueled and checked everything ... oil was good and the windshield washer ... not a stock bit of equipment but required in most states ... needed filled.

New Hampshire 13 became MA13 through no fault of its own. The road simply changed states.

Worcester, Mass. is a Big town ... but everybody and his brother knew where H&R was. A tour was just beginning and we were added. We started in the foundry and continued to the drop forges. They stamped out hundreds of blanks which were hurried to the milling machines.

“The only way to get quality is to make it right here; screws, pins, barrels, triggers and hammers. We make our own springs and grips. We’re proud of our product and it shows.” said the tour guide, a girl of about sixteen. “That’s my dad over there fitting the barrels. This is a family factory.”

The final attraction was the museum. If H&R had ever made it ... there was one displayed.

Oh, ... yes ... well ... through no fault of our own ... we lost 13 in Leominster and truly didn’t notice until we left town. Back tracking to where 13 went away ... there was a constable on patrol ... foot patrol ... and he ... talking like JFK ... said that 13 stopped herah and stomped his foot as emphasis.