Day 6: The Gee Brief - Nice Digs! Awesome People!

A day of R&R at the Fulton Hilton!
Took today off to recoup and re-energize the more "annoyed" parts of my body specifically my sit-bones. More on that in a moment. But first a word about WHERE we are. My cousin Leah, and her husband Tom have hosted J and I for the past two nights.  So before we get into the full Gee Brief, let's have a word from our sponsor:

If you're ever in the Fulton area and looking for a house, please buy it from Leah's Signature Century 21. J and I are big fans of this establishment. This of course has nothing to do with the fact that Leah (the other woman I"m posing with in front of the sign) is my first cousin on my mother'side. I mean, come on, business is business. If I send you to a bum establishment, it makes ME look bad. Trust me on this one, Leah is the real deal. Her husband, Tom and her run a top rate establishment and they will treat you right!

Speaking of quality businesses, I can't help but mention a place called Doyle's bike shop. Tracey Doyle, the owner, was recommended to me by Leah to help me fix a few problems I was having with the bikes and the bike rack. Specifically, I backed the very expensive Thule T2000 bike rack on our truck into a parked box truck on the morning of Day 5. The box truck had absolutely not a scratch on it, but one of the Thule tray brackets was bent badly. Also, Jenard's seat was not staying up, and Rootbeer was having brake and shifting issues.  I needed skilled professional help.

So I paid Tracey Doyle a visit at Doyle's bicycle and encountered one of the most skilled, down to earth and genuinely nice bike shop owners I have ever met. He worked for almost an hour on Rootbeer, Jenard and the Thule and didn't want to charge me a thing. This was of course unacceptable, so I left him the only cash I had on hand on his counter. Thanks, Doyle!

One of the items Doyle helped me fix was two chips in Rootbeer's paint job. He sent me next door to get some nail polish.  They didn't have it, but I found another hair salon close by and they did have it.

Very Friendly Lady

The lady there was sweet and very friendly and simply GAVE me a bottle of green polish. Although green isn't exactly MY color, it fits Rootbeer just fine, and will ensure that no further flaking or peeling occurs.  Doyle also sent me to Burke's Hardware to get a replacement bolt for the Thule. Once again, I encountered a very nice lady whose picture I did not take, but Leah says her name was Paula. Again, the Fulton charm was glowing bright!

Paula helped me get the exact right bolt, thus topping off my overall experience with the people in Fulton and forcing me to write the passage below.
I have to take a moment here to mention hat Fulton is not a wealthy town. But there is something absolutely inviting about this place.  In case you have't guessed, it's the people.  Paula, the nice lady above and Doyle are not unique in this place, they are the norm. But there are nice people everywhere, what is it that makes Fulton different? It took me a while to figure it out, but here’s how it goes:

You know that moment in a store when you arrive at an item on the shelf in at the same time as someone else? You both want it, but there’s only one.  Or perhaps there’s enough for both of you, but it’s a question of who gets to go first. Some people would just bulldoze through, pretending not to notice you, take the item and move on.  Others would play the, “No YOU go first” game, turning it into a contest of who can be nicer. Both people are a pain in the butt as far as I’m concerned.

But that’s not the Fulton way. Fulton people want the item, and will take it if you don’t. However, it’s the way they MOVE that I love. Their movement takes YOU into account. They will go through the door first if you don’t move, but they will give YOU the chance to go first if you wish. They are both decisive and polite at the same time.  And like my Aunt Armande and her children, they have a sense of humor and a

Leah, Armande and Teri

perkiness about life that is downright infectious.  They are just NICE people. My Aunt Armande who passed on recently gave her a children the greatest gift: an outstanding attitude on life. This family has been through more trials and challenges than any other I've known, but yet they smile, and they LAUGH, and when they do, they make YOU smile and laugh. I miss Armande a lot and am so blessed to have Leah, Teri and Scott and their awesome children and grandchildren in my life.

Most of Armande's offspring live in CT but Leah’s path took her to Fulton. I now see why she loves it so much here. It's not that people here are FUNNY, it's that they have the ability to see the humor in life, and they never miss a chance to laugh or smile. 

One last thing. One of my favorite parts about hanging out with Leah and her husband Tom is that they share the same quality that J and me do: They LIKE each other...plain and simple.  Makes a huge difference.

 

We leave tomorrow morning for Avon, NY. We will miss Leah, Tom and their offspring. And we will remember our time here fondly. After this, we head west. I truly think this was our last chance to get a healthy helping of pizza, wings and family loving until we reach the Pacific Ocean. Goodbye Fulton you have filled our hearts. We promise to pay it forward.