It’s the people

When the coffee brews too slowly and the night watch grows too long, it’s time for some relaxation therapy. For my husband and I, that means two weeks away in the camper.

 This time we made it to the Mississippi Gulf Coast. While we love ocean sunsets and moonlight ferry rides, it’s the chance encounters with people that fill our travel journal.

 My husband is retired Army, so we often camp on military bases. On night one, the kind host at a military fam-camp came out in her pajamas to help us with a late check-in. (They were tasteful pajamas, more like loungers, really.) She apologized, even though we were the ones inconveniencing her. She even walked us to our site.

 While we were getting settled in, we were approached by a woman power-walking through the RV complex.

 “Are you weather-aware?” she asked. It was clear there would be no small talk.

 “Uh, yes,” I answered, hopeful that I was, in fact, weather-aware.

 “Then you know there’s a storm moving in,” she said. “We’re on the edge of it. Watch your radar apps.”

 I had a strong urge to salute. “Yes, (ma’am), we will.”

 She searched my eyes. Then, satisfied that her message had been received, she power-walked away. I smiled. I like it when strangers take the time to weather-warn me.

 At our destination on Naval Construction Battalion Center Gulfport, we adopted a local Krispy Kreme, because — well, Krispy Kreme. One morning at the drive-thru, we got a new person. We asked for a sour cream donut.

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