Boston- “They’re from Taylor. It will be fine.”

5/27

We arrived in Beantown with the trip odometer reading 1195 miles.

After a long wet ride to Boston, we were looking forward to some dry space. Fortunately for us, our friend Ben (TU grad now BU law student) was watching a vacant apartment for a friend who was away for the summer. Void of any amenities, it allowed us to spread out our stuff to dry and make a few beds for the night.

Ben had just finished final exams for his first year of law school and couldn’t remember the last time he had slept. Despite this handicap, he was surprisingly talkative and took us on a tour (search for food) of his neighborhood. The search was unsuccessful as everything closed earlier due to college summer break. It was no problem for us though, we returned to the apartment and cooked up a feast of frozen chicken nuggets and leftover camp food. Ben even treated us with some Neapolitan ice cream he found in the freezer.

Our early arrival in Boston gave Alex and I the opportunity to spend the day exploring the city. As one of the United State’s oldest major cities, Boston’s architecture is fantastic, and there are many historical sights to see. We jumped on the tourist train and followed the freedom trail throughout the city. The stops along the way were somewhat interesting but neither of us were much in the mood to learn historical facts and figures. Regardless, it felt good to get out, walk around, and listen to people. We made it a game to find the most Boston accent possible. I think Good Will Hunting set my expectations too high, and we finished the tour largely disappointed.

We spent a second night in the city with Taylor, Elizabeth, and their very affectionate dog Harry. Their fourth story apartment was situated in a beautiful section of the arts district where they were both within walking distance of work. Taylor, a graduate of Taylor University, met his wife, Elizabeth, while they were both completing graduate degrees at the New England Conservatory. They were the first professional opera singers that I had ever met.

We were extra thankful for their generous hospitality. They opened their home to us on very short notice and with very little connection. It was funny to hear Elizabeth recall of her initial reaction a few days earlier when Taylor explained that they would be hosting two strange motorcycle riders on a trip across the country.

“How do you know them?” she questioned.
“I don’t… but they’re from Taylor. It will be fine.”