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Sleepover at the Bead Store! |
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Written by Dara Spiotto
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Monday, 14 January 2008 |
 It was a particularly blustery January day when I worked at The Beadin’ Path, say, oh, well… it was back in the days of just Heather and I. The two of us worked in the store together with occasional visits by Jan, and we managed pretty well. The Freeport store was in a different location then, a little farther down the road from where it is now. And smaller, too. A lot smaller. But adorable with character and crammed full of vintage beads and supplies. I completely loved that store, from the moment I opened up the door in the morning and that lovely bead smell would reach my nose. Beads, fibers, wire, and other assorted bead store stuff have a wonderful smell. But I digress…
Alone in a Bead Store! Oh My! It was a Sunday and I was scheduled to work alone. That wasn’t abnormal back then. Working alone in today’s world isn’t smart because of safety issues, but back then it was no biggie. I called Heather because we were getting a storm to tell her I planned to go in despite the snow. Now, let me explain something. The store, being in Freeport, is subjected to coastal weather. That means that much of the snow turns to rain, or evaporates before it ever hits the ground. I lived in Turner at the time which is inland and the elevation is much higher. Three to four inches of snow in Freeport could mean between one and two feet in Turner, easily, possibly more. On top of the snow accumulation, I had an hour long drive (under normal conditions) on back roads that follows the Androscoggin river, sometimes right next to the river with no guard rails. And once I arrived home I had a big hill to go down, and then a hill to go up, and then a drive on a road across an open field where the snow drifts into piles to finally get to the house. Boonies. So a snow storm was never much of a big deal to Heather who lived closer to  the coast, but I had more to consider. I hear so many people say, “YOU LIVE IN MAINE! Learn how to deal with the snow!” I completely agree with that. It becomes a lifestyle that you have to build into your every day. You have to plan ahead and expect surprises. But there’s more to it than that. I don’t want to spend 2 hours getting home only to find that I can’t get into the driveway or I’ll get my car stuck and have to walk to remaining distance in snow at night. So sometimes you have to make other arrangements. Work is work. Snow is a bad excuse not to make it. So you put a back up plan in place and then you know you’re safe.
On this particular Sunday, I worked all day and not even one person came into the store. I remember that day well. Heather had left me a note asking me to break up some natural strands of beads and make a loose tray in one of the large printer trays that we keep the beads in. I had so much fun doing that. I kept thinking that I needed to go home, but I was already there and decided I would tough it out. Bad idea.
 At 6 pm it was dark. The only other business in the building that had stayed open was a sandwich shop next door. THANK HEAVEN someone had been working late there, because when I went to my car it had been drifted over on one side. From the other side you could tell it was a car. From the front, forget it. So the sandwich guy helped pull my car out. Bless him.
A Lesson LearnedA week later they predicted another big storm. I was prepared. I packed my collapsible shovel. Gathering up some wool blankets, I made a pile in my car imagining myself wrapped in them on a road side while I watched silent snowflakes fall and wondered if anyone would find me sticking out of the banking before I froze or starved. So I packed some granola bars and water. Then I grabbed my pillow for comfort. I drove to work that day knowing that I would probably end up at a Freeport hotel, and I was ok with that.
 Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow
Jan and Heather were both in the store that day. I told them jokingly that I had planned to sleep in the store that night instead of driving home. They laughed and I did, too. As the day wore on I became a bit worried about driving in the snow to get home. So I accepted the hotel idea. By the end of the day it was dark, the snow was still coming down, and I wasn’t going anywhere. Jan and Heather both asked if I wanted to go home with them, and I thought they were crazy to get in a car, forget about going with them. I decided to wait it out.
It snowed. And snowed. By the time 7pm rolled around I had called to see where the closest hotel was, and hemmed and hawed about getting in the car to drive there. Going out to the car solidified my decision. It was awful out there. I didn’t want to be adventuring into the storm. I grabbed my bags, blankets and my pillow and headed back inside. I settled in the back and then went to see if the sandwich shop was still open. They had closed early. Why, oh why, didn’t I have the insight to order a sandwich before they left? So I settled in and had a granola bar dinner.
 The Sleeping Bead Store
From my bed of blankets I thumbed through some bead books. I fiddled with the thought of stranding or straightening the trays out. From my warm, snug wool nest I decided against it. The store was pretty at night. The glass cases were sparkling and the strands hanging up were like garland. No dust visible. :-) I slept like a log, safe and sound, surrounded by 500,000,000,000 of my best friends.
The next morning Heather burst in. I was already working, my nest back in the car and although I wished I could have showered, I felt great. Outside the snow was thick and beautiful and white. “How was your night?”, she wanted to know. “Great! What’s for breakfast???”
 
 
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