Trashley: Part Nine

Damn you, Mae Whitman

Ashley convinced me to bring her to Alaska the week before my job started back up. My sister, Jordan, was having a gender reveal party that weekend, so it seemed like a good time and place to surprise everyone. Plus, I hadn’t seen my parents since another sister’s wedding in 2017, and I wondered if they’d even remember me. The only person I told I was coming was my Grandma because I didn’t want her to have a heart attack from seeing me unexpectedly.

I left Perci with Ashley’s family in Bakersfield, and they seemed happy to have him. Ashley and I had gone camping and taken several road trips in California, but this would be our first big trip together. I wasn’t thrilled about going to Alaska, even though everyone always thinks it’s beautiful. I’m not a fan of eternal daylight, and the insects are out of control: Pincher bugs, stink bugs, wasps, mosquitos, ladybugs. I hate them all. But Alaska was always more bearable when I brought someone along. By myself, I might last three days. With a companion, I figured I could last a week.

Happy to report the emergency exit door didn’t fly off somewhere over the Alaska Range.

I’m an excellent tour guide because I have access to parts of Alaska that other people would kill for. My Dad is the largest private landowner in the state, and all I had to do was ask for the keys, and Fairbanks would be ours. Our visit would be during summer solstice, which is the longest day of…