Scent Sea Story: Coasters Harbor

Picture it: Goose Creek, South Carolina, 2002
I was in prototype and I’d just started dating my now husband right before he left to go to NSI in Rhode Island, so we were figuring out how to do the long-distance thing for the first time. I had a long weekend between a shift change, so I decided to fly up and see him. It was going to be great! As I boarded the plane and got settled in as much as I could, I was giddy with the anticipation of spending time in a new place with my new man. As I like to do, I struck up a conversation with my seat neighbor. It went something like this:
Me (noticing the NFL logo embroidered on the bag in my neighbor’s lap): “So, what’s your favorite football team?”
Neighbor: (glances over at me, then scoffs) “Like you don’t know.”
Me (I’m mad confused at this point): “Why would I know what team you like, we just met.”
Neighbor: “I’m a football player. I play for the New England Patriots.”
Me (Wide eyed): “OH! Ok. Cool!”
Long period of silence.
I start to read the book I brought that I’ve been meaning to finish for a while.
Neighbor: “You really don’t know who I am?”
Me (looking up from my book like oh yeah, we were talking): “No sir, I have no idea who you are.”
He laughs and shakes his head like he can’t believe what I just said. “There’s no way, do you watch football on TV?”
Me: “Sometimes, but not a lot. My work schedule is crazy, and I don’t follow sports.”
Neighbor: “Well. (turns his huge body to look at me) I’m a football player…for the Patriots…why else would I have this NFL bag?”
Me: (confused as to why he’s hung up on this) “Because you’re a big fan?”
He is clearly baffled at my answer and mumbles “I can’t believe this woman” under his breath as he turns away and focuses on his drink. I tuck back into my book as we make our way. 30 minutes passed before he turned to me again.
“I bet your boyfriend will know who I am”, he exclaimed confidently.
“He won’t, he doesn’t follow football either.”
“And he lives in Rhode Island? I doubt that lady.”
“Pretty sure I know that much about him Sir. But if it makes you feel better, I’ll ask him when we get there.”
He smiles proudly to himself as feels his long-sought validation coming in the form of my boyfriend’s acknowledgement and he says, “I’ll walk you to him myself, you’ll see I’m not pulling your leg about being famous.”
So, we land at a late hour at the Providence Airport. The only people around are the ones who are there to pick up people on my flight. Me and my giant single-serving football playing friend walk towards the doors where Thomas said he’d meet me, and I see him look at me like “who the heck is that?” as I get closer.
I walk up to him with this huge guy in tow and give Thomas a hug and say bluntly, “this guy insisted on walking me to you. He plays football for the Patriots.”
Thomas just looks at him and is like, “oh, ok cool. Thanks dude.”
…
I’ve never seen a more crestfallen look on someone’s face as I did in that moment. He says, “you really don’t know who I am?”
Thomas says, “Am I supposed to?”
My airplane neighbor and now solidified ex single-serving friend did an about face and stormed off saying, “I CANNOT believe these two!”
We made our way over to Newport where my husband was living and it was the first time I got to experience the cold, windy wetness that is New England in January lol! We did have a fun time that weekend and when we came back to the area to live several times in my husband’s naval career.
When I was developing the scent to capture all the experiences I’ve had in the area it was all flowed together easily. I knew I needed to have a reminder of the great times I had over meals while there, what it felt like to sightsee and feel the history of the area, and the scent of the sea on the coastline that was ever changing, rugged, and gorgeous in the way that only a New England Coastline can do so effortlessly well.
Shop Coasters Harbor Candles Today
All these years later, I wonder what ever happened to my football friend. I imagine he stormed out of the airport that night and fired his pr team because they weren’t getting his name out enough. Looking back, he never told me his name during our whole 3+ hours together. I feel like if he did, he would have saved himself a lot of grief.
Oh well! What’s done is done lol!
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