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Episode #23: "Over the Atlantic"  Boarding the plane to Paris, there was a slight problem with security. Reverend Gregory, who had been invited by Francesca to join the junket, set off the metal detectors and had to be escorted to a private office for a strip search. It seems his nipple rings had set off the device! The Reverend requested that the security people not disclose this information to his traveling companions, and they graciously complied.Erich was overjoyed that his wife Francesca had escaped execution and was immediately released from prison. Secretly, though, he was not pleased that Francesca had once again chosen what he considered to be a boring vacation spot. Cultured Francesca loved to visit the museums, art galleries and the ballet, but Erich didn't care all that much for the fine arts, though he never complained.On the plane to France over the Atlantic, as Francesca was napping, Erich got into a conversation with an employee he had never met before.Earl Butts, a C*E*A custodial engineer, was thrilled that it was his turn to go to with the staff on the junket. His cousin Bubba had moved to a place just outside of Paris seven years ago, and he hadn't seen him since then.Earl spoke to Erich, "When we was teenagers, Bubba and me was drivin' along the highway goin' to pick up some fertilizer when we saw this big ol' billboard that said 'SEE GRAVITY HILL! SCIENTIFIC MARVEL!'. We didn't pay it no never-mind. But then just another mile down the road, we seen another one! 'GRAVITY HILL, SEE NATURAL LAWS OF GRAVITY DEFIED!' And then every half mile, another billboard! 'SEE WATER RUN UPHILL!' and so on. Well by the time we got to the billboard that said 'GRAVITY HILL--TURN HERE!!!' we was totally pumped about stoppin' in to see that place! We paid our money and took the O-ficial tour of Gravity Hill! It was Dad-Gum INCREDIBLE!! Water ran UPHILL! Balls rolled UPHILL! We were all standing on a slant instead of upright! It was AMAZIN'! We couldn't believe our eyes! Well after we left, Bubba told me he was going back the very next week. After he went back about a dozen times, he talked the tour guide into revealing the scientific secret of Gravity Hill for only a hunnerd dollars! Bubba promised he'd never reveal the secret, so he never told me or anyone. But during one of the tours he took, he overheard some people from France sayin' that there was nothin' like Gravity Hill in France. So Bubba decided he'd take the secret with him to France and build his own Gravity Hill! He's been there now for pert-near seven years, Erich!"Erich was now intrigued with the idea of visiting Bubba's Gravity Hill. He HAD to visit Gravity Hill! He woke up Francesca to tell her about it."Are you kidding, Erich?," she snapped, annoyed at being woken up. "We're not traveling all the way to Paris just to go visit an American style tourist trap! We're going to visit the Louvre! "Geez, Fran! I never get to do what I want to do!" whined Erich."Well, Erich, I won't stop you if you want to go there! GO! But Cathie, Antonio and I are going to do what WE want to do!" said Francesca, who then left her seat and got herself a drink."FINE!" snapped Erich.Actually, it wasn't fine ... far from it. Erich and Francesca's relationship was going to be put to the test on this trip. Would it survive? Will Erich find his marriage slipping down Gravity Hill? Will Francesca go all the way to the top of the Eiffel Tower with The Sexiest Man In Paris? Will Paulette find a pair of The Ultimate Pumps?Don't miss the next exciting episode! |
