May your clutch fail in Greenfield Mass.

In the late 1990s the family rented a ski cabin at Mt.Snow as Pat and her kids were visiting before Christmas. It was fun teaching the non-skiers, and Ken dared the intermediate slopes. He and I were driving back Christmas Day to the Pavalows,

and I decided to teach him to drive, to lose my role as Ken's driver. Very soon, the power failed, and it seemed the clutch had blown.

While not helping Ken's driving confidence, it was likely coincidental. We got a tow to Greenfield Mass where a garage was open but no mechanic so we left the car. Asking what was open, we were told that down the block where Mrs. Marion Caines welcomed us into her home and gave us food and drink while her small family got ready for Christmas. We spent over an hour, as Ken told stories and he and Marion entertained each other. Later that afternoon we caught a bus to Connecticut and joined the Pavalow Christmas.

I kept my role as Ken's driver and go-to mechanic.