so, i went to a brewers convention over the weekend in Portsmouth, NH.. got to listen to a guy ramble on about yeast for about 3 hours.. but at least we could drink the whole time..
a great story, one i will be telling the rest of my life, emerged that evening.. all of us there from my brewery were out at the bars, drinking.. myself and 2 of the other guys closed down the bar.. closes at 1 in NH.. ick..
we called a cab, and were waiting in the wretchedly cold wind.. well, the cab never showed.. we called again, and that one never showed.. so, this car pulls up.. i am not good at naming makes and models, but it was a semi-sporty car.. in broken english/spanish, the sole occupant asked if we needed a ride.. my buddy talked to him, and the guy said he knew right where our hotel was.. it was only 3 miles away, after all.. so we all decided to save some $$, and our appendages from the cold, and take the ride..
we knew it as a bad idea immediately.. this was the most reckless driver i have ever seen.. on a straight away, he would hits speeds up around 75, slam the brakes for no reason, gor down to 30, and the accelerate again.. he was driving most of the time in the WRONG LANE OF TRAFFIC!! and he had salsa music playing at the maximum volume.. i couldn't help but be laughing at the situation, hoping we would not crash.. the laughter stopped, though, when we turned down an alley.. my buddy, who was in the passenger seat, asked where we were going, screaming to be heard above the salsa.. the driver turned down the music and, sounding confused, asked us where we were going.. we reminded him, and he said he didn't know where the hotel was.. my buddy in the front realized this was said in perfect english, and he asked about that.. the driver replied "oh, yeah, the spanish is just my front."
well, i just looked to my friend who was in the back wwith me and mouthed "what the fuck. . ".. we continued to travel down side streets and alleys (and also across the bridge into MAINE!) until we came to the front of an apartement building.. he turned off the car.. there was silence..
about 30 seconds passed and he asked "what did you guys want?"..
we said we just wanted to get back to the Hampton Inn.. he continued to ask us where we were from and what we did.. upon discovering we were brewers, he asked us to come have a drink in his apartment.. we said we just awnted to get back.. he began getting agitated, stating how confused he was.. "i helped you, and you won't drink with me!" he kept repeating.. he got out, and said he would be right back.. as he walked to the house, i whispered to my friends, "as soon as he can't see us, we run."
and that is exactly what we did.. within seconds, he was outside, screaming at us.. couldn't make out what he was saying..
we hid in a drivewawy for about 10 minutes before getting on the street again.. in about 5 minutes a car pulls up, it as him.. he got out, and was screaming "you guys are fucking crazy!! i helped you, and you ran!! get back in the car!!!!"
he wwent to get something out of his car, and we bolted.. we hid again, this time for about 30 minutes.. we then walked back to Portsmouth, about a 2 hour walk.. from there, we found pay phone, called a cab, and finally got to the hotel.. it was about 4 at that point.
so, yes, long story, but the three of us believe that we were picked up by someone who wwas going to kill us.. i have never been in such a life or death situation.. it was exhilarating..
it really was a life affirming event..
quiet a long story to write out, knowing that not many people will read it, but i can't stop thinking about it..
a great story, one i will be telling the rest of my life, emerged that evening.. all of us there from my brewery were out at the bars, drinking.. myself and 2 of the other guys closed down the bar.. closes at 1 in NH.. ick..
we called a cab, and were waiting in the wretchedly cold wind.. well, the cab never showed.. we called again, and that one never showed.. so, this car pulls up.. i am not good at naming makes and models, but it was a semi-sporty car.. in broken english/spanish, the sole occupant asked if we needed a ride.. my buddy talked to him, and the guy said he knew right where our hotel was.. it was only 3 miles away, after all.. so we all decided to save some $$, and our appendages from the cold, and take the ride..
we knew it as a bad idea immediately.. this was the most reckless driver i have ever seen.. on a straight away, he would hits speeds up around 75, slam the brakes for no reason, gor down to 30, and the accelerate again.. he was driving most of the time in the WRONG LANE OF TRAFFIC!! and he had salsa music playing at the maximum volume.. i couldn't help but be laughing at the situation, hoping we would not crash.. the laughter stopped, though, when we turned down an alley.. my buddy, who was in the passenger seat, asked where we were going, screaming to be heard above the salsa.. the driver turned down the music and, sounding confused, asked us where we were going.. we reminded him, and he said he didn't know where the hotel was.. my buddy in the front realized this was said in perfect english, and he asked about that.. the driver replied "oh, yeah, the spanish is just my front."
well, i just looked to my friend who was in the back wwith me and mouthed "what the fuck. . ".. we continued to travel down side streets and alleys (and also across the bridge into MAINE!) until we came to the front of an apartement building.. he turned off the car.. there was silence..
about 30 seconds passed and he asked "what did you guys want?"..
we said we just wanted to get back to the Hampton Inn.. he continued to ask us where we were from and what we did.. upon discovering we were brewers, he asked us to come have a drink in his apartment.. we said we just awnted to get back.. he began getting agitated, stating how confused he was.. "i helped you, and you won't drink with me!" he kept repeating.. he got out, and said he would be right back.. as he walked to the house, i whispered to my friends, "as soon as he can't see us, we run."
and that is exactly what we did.. within seconds, he was outside, screaming at us.. couldn't make out what he was saying..
we hid in a drivewawy for about 10 minutes before getting on the street again.. in about 5 minutes a car pulls up, it as him.. he got out, and was screaming "you guys are fucking crazy!! i helped you, and you ran!! get back in the car!!!!"
he wwent to get something out of his car, and we bolted.. we hid again, this time for about 30 minutes.. we then walked back to Portsmouth, about a 2 hour walk.. from there, we found pay phone, called a cab, and finally got to the hotel.. it was about 4 at that point.
so, yes, long story, but the three of us believe that we were picked up by someone who wwas going to kill us.. i have never been in such a life or death situation.. it was exhilarating..
it really was a life affirming event..
quiet a long story to write out, knowing that not many people will read it, but i can't stop thinking about it..
VIEW 6 of 6 COMMENTS
mikael:
That was truly one of the most interesting stories I've read in a journal in a loooong time. Shit. Fucking New Hampshire.
obsidian_:
wow....it sounds like the begining of a bad slasher film...