[Senter Cove Guy]

December 24, 1964, I was a junior in college in Potsdam, NY with no car. Was invited to spend the holidays with my girlfriend's family in Lynnfield, MA.

Ride #1 - Started hitching at 8AM. Caught a ride from a family I knew who were on their way to Syracuse, NY. They dropped me off at the entrance to the NY Thruway because they were heading west. My friend spoke to the toll booth attendant and asked her to find me a ride towards Boston. Ten minutes later I was on my way again.

Ride #2 - Rode from Syracuse to Lee, MA (exit 2 or 3 on the Mass Pike). The guy's car broke down and he had to pull into a gas station on the Pike. I stayed with him for awhile as he tried to fix the car himself but we finally agreed that I should begin hitching again.

Ride #3 - From Lee, MA to exit 14 on the Mass Pike. It was now 5PM and getting dark. The last 25 miles was going to be tough.

Ride #4 - About 5:15PM a fellow stopped, rolled down his window and asked me where I was headed. As I told him, I could smell liquor in the car...he'd obviously been drinking. But, I was 21 and invincible, so I hopped in. The guy was a Carling Black Label beer salesman heading home from his office party. He says to me, "mind if I stop at one of my customer's places on the way?". What was I going to say...so off we went...to a bar. He buys me a beer and stays 15 minutes and we leave. Then he says, "mind if I make one more stop?". Again, what do I say...so off we go to another bar...another beer...another 15 minutes. We leave and he takes me to Lynnfield and drops me off.

And, 10 days later I did the trip in reverse.

Something I'll never forget.

And, oh yes, she's now my wife of almost 39 years.