Boston and Beyond: Tyre & Phoenix

By Lynn M. Dixon

It is the fifth in a series about a young married couple named Tyre and Phoenix. He is a college professor and she is a librarian who spend a week in Boston and are visiting from Chicago. They will make further decisions about their career moves at the end of the book.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trafford Publishing
• Release date: Mar 10, 2017
• ISBN: 9781490781433

Lynn M. Dixon

Lynn M. Dixon lives in Chicago. She has published two other works with Trafford: A Golden Leaf in Time and Traveling Streams.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Boston at Last!

T he plane descended and headed towards Logan Airport in Boston. Phoenix held Tyre’s hand as they looked out at all of the beautiful blue water that was dotted with sailboats underneath them. They both secretly hoped that the pilot could see the airport because all they saw was glistening water.

When they were safe on the ground, Phoenix folded her itinerary on what she had planned to do while in Boston. She had been diligently doing her research and hoped that she had not crammed too much in the space of seven days. She knew that she would be doing a lot of walking in the Back Bay area, visit a couple of authors’ homes and of course, do some shopping. Retail therapy in New England!

Tyre’s mind was racing as well as he neatly slid his speeches for the literary conference in his leather attaché case that he had gotten from the yard sale. He clicked the lock and looked over at his beaming wife. Ready honey? he asked.

Oh, yes, answered Phoenix.

People started to stand and gather their belongings but they silently waited for the line to move as they let those in a hurry go on and deplane. Both privately gave thanks that they did not have to catch a connecting flight nor rush off to some meeting, so they left the plane calmly.

They entered the terminal and followed the signs that pointed to the Baggage Claim area. It was a long walk so they turned it into a stroll as they held hands. They relished every moment feeling that this trip was a long awaited dream for both of them. He would finally give his long withheld speech and she would immerse herself in the country’s cradle of literature and its humble beginnings.

They finally reached the baggage area and the luggage pieces were already going around and around on the conveyor belt. He grabbed their two bags when they came around and sat them close to her. He turned towards her and said, You are amazing. One piece of luggage for the whole week! Some people would have five or six bags.

Yep, Phoenix responded. My mother taught me well. How does the saying go, ‘If you want to travel far, you have to travel light?

Light, he had joined in. They laughed and caught a hold of the handles and pulled their rolling luggage to the awaiting taxi area. There was a process in place and when it was their turn, they got into the designated cab.

The taxi driver put their luggage in the trunk and when they were all inside, he asked, Where to? Tyre said, The Colonnade Hotel in Back Bay.

Phoenix and Tyre were very quiet as the driver proceeded. They took in the sights and sounds of this unfamiliar territory. They had entered the Ted Williams Tunnel and Phoenix said in a meek voice, Boston, at last. I cannot tell you how long this has been a dream of mine. So much history! Their public library is one of the oldest and the first to start loaning books to its citizens. It’s first on my list of places to see, her voice raised.

And why am I not surprised, Miss Librarian? he teased her.

He leaned over and kissed her lightly. The taxi driver was watching in the rear view mirror and thought to himself, Lovebirds. He turned up his reggae just a little louder and in a short time he saw that they were both swaying to the beat as they headed to The Colonnade Hotel.

Chapter 2

Settling in at The Colonnade

T hey arrived at The Colonnade and it was still light outside on that Saturday afternoon. Tyre and Phoenix quietly took in the sights of Boston as the taxi driver commandeered them into the Back Bay area.

When the cab pulled over to let them out, they were warmly welcomed by the hotel doorman. Phoenix stood on the sidewalk as Tyre did a second check on the back seat to make sure that they had everything.

The fastidious one, she thought with a smile. When he was finished with checking, he stood and turned to see a huge white dome on the structure across the way from the hotel entrance.

Wow, he exclaimed. What building is that?

That my dear, is the church home of the Christian Scientists, she responded.

Well, I see that someone has been doing her homework, he marveled.

Yes, while you were pouring over your notes and speeches, I did do a lot of research about Boston and the Back Bay area, where we will be spending most of our time. And like San Francisco, Boston is considered to be a walking town and I plan on buying some new walking shoes to see as much as I can of the area, she continued as they headed into the hotel.

Tyre handled the check-in process and came away smiling shortly afterwards. We are on the fourth floor and facing the front, he said as he handed her a key.

When they opened the door to their room, they both seemed to let out a big sigh at the same time. It was scenic and they had a nice view of the Boston skyline. The horizon was dotted with church steeples. It was a good omen that silently said that this trip was ordained by the heavens and that they were divinely protected.

There was a nice table and a sturdy writing desk in the spacious room. This is nice, Tyre breathed out.

Yeah, she responded. Let’s unpack because this will be our home for a week.

True. A welcoming one at that! he added.

They went to work, as she filled the drawers and the closets with their clothes. He did a check of plugs to see if they had enough electrical sockets to plug in their laptops, tablets, and Smartphones. As he was about to power up the devices, he said, It is amazing!

What, Sugar Bear? she teased.

Look how many tech devises we depend on, just to function on a daily basis, he went on.

Yep. I need my Smartphone, tablet and laptop on a daily basis, she agreed.

No more like on an hourly basis, he corrected her. She merely laughed.

As he started to plug in his laptop, she said Wait, before you do that, honey.

‘Why, my dear?" he responded.

I saw a grocery store about a block away as we were coming in and I would like to get plenty of food items for the room. You know we cannot eat in the hotel restaurant every day, she said.

Forever the frugal one. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways, he laughed.

I can go there alone, of course and you can stay here and get settled. I won’t be gone long, said Phoenix.

He paused and finally said, No, I will walk with you.

That’s cool, she said. Then, when we get back, we can really chill out for the night.

Yep, was his short answer.

They put on their walking shoes after throwing on some comfy clothes. They headed north on Huntington Avenue towards Star Market.

Once entering the store, they started in the produce department and gathered fruit, moved on for breakfast breads, nuts, chips, bottled water, iced tea, a bottle of white wine and ended up at the salad bar where they packed up individual hot meals.

When they made it back to their room, Phoenix took the ice bucket and went down the hall to locate the ice machine. Tyre busily put items away and put their hot meals on the table with plenty of napkins.

Phoenix clicked on the big screen television and surfed until she found a movie channel. She thought it would be calming and low-key. They silently washed their hands, kicked off their walking shoes and sat down to a hot meal before settling in for a good night’s sleep.

Chapter 3

Sunday

P hoenix arose first. She had slept sound and the heavy curtains that darkened the room helped her catch some much needed deep sleep and REM. She