Today was an amazing day. We drove down to Newport, Rhode Island, and took a tour of a Vanderbilt Mansion, the Marble House. It is an example of the opulence of Gilded Age. Found out that term was coined by Mark Twain, but was not done so as a compliment. After visiting the mansion, we had a Easter lunch in the village.
The most amazing thing happened, however, when we stopped at East Beach in Rhode Island on the way home. There was a young guy and his girlfriend with his small Suburu stuck right beside the water as the waves were coming in. He couldn’t get his car out, and the tide was coming in closer and closer. We asked him what in the hell he thought he was doing taking his car down there and he said he wanted to take photographs.
We tried to help him get the car out, but there was no way it was going to budge. He had called a tow truck. It was cold and he and his girlfriend were walking around in the sand in their bare feet, because they didn’t want to get their shoes with sand. My hands were frozen stiff, so I can imagine how their feet were feeling.
We, and our friends with us, were there for about an hour with him, and his girlfriend. He reassured us the tow truck was coming so we got his number, gave him ours, and decided to leave. He also gave me the tow truck number, so on our way out I called them to be sure they were on their way. I was worried about the kids. The tow truck guy said they were on their way.
Long story short, Elijah, the young man called and said they finally got him out, that it took a lot and the waves were starting to hit the side of the car. He also said his car was running so so, and that he thought maybe there was something wrong with the brakes. The main thing I said to him is that they were safe and sound. I could just see them getting swept away with the waves. When it was all said and done, the towing cost the kid $500. He felt it was a bargain.
Anyway the beach was beautiful as the waves hit the sand, and the sun came out on the low horizon. A very interesting day.
Moral of the story, don’t take your car out to the beach to take pictures. It’s best to walk.
On Tiffany Creek 