In late February of 2020, I traveled north to meet my good friend and our editor-in-chief at Fellowship & Fairydust, Avellina Balestri, for the first time.
My dad took me to the airport that morning, and though it was cold in Savannah, GA, I knew it would likely be colder up there in Maryland and Pennsylvania, so I packed in the event that I may need extra layering. It was probably excessive, especially considering that I’d already packed church clothes for attending Mass with Avellina and her family, gifts for them, a first aid kit, hand sanitizer, several hats and caps, and my laptop computer. Additionally, I took the further precaution of wearing jogging leggings underneath my pants, and this was on top of my peacoat, University of Georgia sweater hoodie, and scully – courtesy of the UGA hockey team.
In order words, I had packed quite heavily, which meant I had to pay extra, though it was a small price to pay to ensure that I had everything I needed (or rather, wanted) for this first-time trip. Dad and I went over everything once more before we parted ways and I went on to the airport concourse.
The Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport is a small facility that is simple and easy to get around. In under two minutes, one can walk from the curbside through the check-in area and concourse, before standing at the security checkpoint that precedes the terminal gates. While the check-in area is pure modernist utilitarianism, the concourse is inspired by Savannah’s 24 signature town squares in our National Historic District, with park benches, trees, classic storefronts, and lampposts, and a Victorian-style clock all topped with a skylight evoking old railroad stations. It, therefore, served as a last taste of home before embarking on my journey.
After getting through security, I made my way to the waiting area and helped myself to some of the Biscoff cookies my grandma had given me. All the while, I was in contact with Avellina via Messenger as we anticipated finally meeting each other for the first time. There was some question on how this weekend would go, for she had come down with kidney stones a week earlier and this had threatened to upend the entire visit. However, she was determined to proceed since we had been planning the visit for nearly two months and desiring to meet for nearly six years. We would have to scale back our plans, but otherwise, try to put together something to make the visit worthwhile.
At last, it was boarding time and I quickly found my way to my seat, which I allowed to be randomly chosen to keep the ticket affordable, and thankfully, it was a window seat. The sun began to rise over the horizon, and I got out my iPod and earphones while paying attention to the flight attendants going over the safety procedures. Shortly afterwards, we backed away from the terminal and took off at 6:30 AM, and I soon settled in with my music playing, looking forward to getting some rest after having not slept while I packed and prepared all night.
However, it wasn’t long before I woke up and realized that the geography below appeared to be consistent with the tidewater region of Virginia and Maryland, which meant we would soon be in Baltimore. There was no point in going back to sleep and at any rate, I was enjoying the view outside above the clouds. I believe we flew over the Chesapeake Bay and thought I had seen the Washington Monument from a very far distance. There were times when the plane would turn in a direction, which resulted in it turning almost onto one side, which sometimes meant looking almost directly down at the ground or water beneath me, and I was grateful when the plane righted itself.
Just before 8:00 AM, we touched down at BWI Airport and as we made our way to the terminal gate, I contacted my parents to say that I had arrived safely and messaged Avellina as well. Waiting for me were voice messages from Avellina’s dad saying that any plans for that day were canceled because – as he said – her mom was “putting on the clamps” due to Avellina’s condition and the fact that it was not only cold but windy – thereby meaning a wind chill that was not good for her low resistance. This was disappointing, though I knew it was a possibility, and totally understood the need for precaution. Nevertheless, I had held out hope that we would meet that day and make full use of the time available, so I felt a bit lost since this was my whole purpose of being there, but Avellina advised that I should go on to Gettysburg and start sightseeing on my own.
Upon disembarking, I made my way through the enormous BWI Airport. Officially known as Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, it takes its name from Baltimore of course, but also Washington, D.C., since the two cities are only about 45 miles apart, as well as Thurgood Marshall, the first African-American justice of the US Supreme Court, who was a native Baltimorean. Wandering about, I looked at information containing the history of the airport and looked out across the closed-off outdoor observation deck, where you can view the planes landing and taking off, along with other airport operations.
Well-ahead of schedule, I made my way downstairs, but still fretted over what to do since I was not meeting Avellina that day. Eventually, it dawned on me that there was no need to go straight to Gettysburg and we both decided that I should see some of Baltimore itself, particularly Fort McHenry and the Inner Harbor area, and I had a church friend who I could visit along the way as well. With that, I collected my luggage and got on the shuttle to the rental car facility.
I was early but went to the counter anyway and was greeted by a man who noted this and looked at my reservation to see that I had chosen a four-door Nissan pick-up truck for the weekend. As if he was reading my mind, he asked if I had picked the truck for its price since it was the most affordable option, and I tried to say – clumsily – that it was my preferred option. He then said that he could upgrade me to an SUV at no additional charge, and without hesitation, I accepted it – a Nissan Rouge – and I made my way onto the roads of the airport campus.
With the assistance of GPS to get the lay of the land, I eventually found a Burger King for breakfast and used my time to notice that Fort McHenry and the Inner Harbor were in different locations. I decided on Fort McHenry since it was a national monument whose survival of bombardment by the British during the War of 1812, with its flag still flying, inspired Francis Scott Key to write what would become our national anthem.
Arriving at around 11:00 AM, I went inside the visitor’s center to pay the admission fee for access to the fort. From here, I spent the next three hours helping myself to not only the fort, but its expansive grounds, including the Sea Wall Trail from which I could see the Inner Harbor and downtown Baltimore, the various ships that were docked, and the outer harbor to the Francis Scott Key Bridge. It was very windy indeed, but I came prepared and was able to enjoy the views and walk around in otherwise perfect weather. During this, I was able to look up at the fort itself, came across a group of ducks who make this area their home during winter, and saw statues of Orpheus and of Major George Armistead, who was the fort’s commander during the British bombardment.
As for the fort itself, there was more walking to be done atop its ramparts and among the cannon battery facing toward the harbor, as well as within the central area of the fort, with its underground tunnels and bunkers, and18th and 19th-century buildings housing various exhibits about significant people and events throughout its history. Between these and the film that was featured in the visitor’s center, I learned that the fort was actively used in various capacities through World War II, and can still be used in a military role during a national emergency. Furthermore, due to its significance in American history, it is the only national park to be designated as a “National Monument and Shrine”.
Upon leaving, I headed to the Inner Harbor, but with it being after 2:00 PM and parking being a bit pricey, I judged that it was time to head on to Gettysburg, but stopped for lunch at a Chick-fil-A before making the hour-and-a-half drive. This part of the journey saw my surroundings change from urban to suburban to rural and the heavily-trafficked interstate became quiet two-lane country roads. I listened to upbeat music to keep me awake after a long day and little sleep. Along the way, I saw Avellina’s street appear on the approaching road signs, and took a detour to pass by her house, after which I soon crossed from Maryland into Pennsylvania (hence, the Penn-Mar region).
By 6:00 PM, I had arrived at the motel in Gettysburg and was finally able to get some rest in my simple, yet comfortable room. Later, I contacted my parents, grandmother, and my church friend to let them know that all was well, before going to the nearby Perkin’s restaurant for dinner, during which I contacted Avellina to tell her about my day, check on her, and discuss possible plans for the next day. With my stomach satisfied, I went back to the motel and headed to bed for good that night.
The next day was beautiful and so cold that there was a brief round of snow flurries which quickly melted on the ground, but the winds had died down. After having a breakfast of self-made waffles, toast, and juice, I walked around the hotel for a bit of exercise. Avellina was still not at 100% but was determined to meet at the food court of the Outlet mall at around 1:30 PM. Upon leaving the motel, my first stop was at Wal-Mart, where I purchased some Lysol at the behest of my grandmother, who had called me early that morning with concern about coronavirus and wanted me to spray the car and my room.
As I drove on to the Outlet, my anticipation continued to build for this long-awaited meeting. Chatting with a person on phone and Messenger, receiving Christmas cards, and looking at them in photos is one thing, but to meet them in person is on another level because you have a physical connection and face-to-face conversation, can do activities together, and get a better sense of who they are up close.
Upon arriving there, I parked at the food court and waited on Avellina and her father, and when they pulled up, I felt a wave of joy and happiness in my soul, for I was finally meeting my dear friend for the first time since we met in 2014. Indeed, I believe she too was very grateful for this moment to have finally happened. We exchanged hugs, and I was able to shake hands with Mr. Balestri – with his clearly identifiable New Jersey accent – who shepherded us inside due to the cold. He appeared to be quite sanguine, with a gift of the gab that made me feel warmly welcomed, and after a while, he took his leave to allow us time together.
Avellina and I went on to partake in pizza, French fries, and cinnamon pretzel bites – the latter of which, she goaded me into, and they turned out to be delicious. We engaged in loquacious conversation mostly centered around our favorite topics and interests, trading jokes, and how this visit was finally taking place after years of talking about it and our friendship being hitherto limited to cyberspace. It really did feel like meeting an old friend, for she was everything I expected from her photos and the communications we had previously shared, and I believe that both of us greatly appreciated connecting face-to-face for the first time, even if the circumstances weren’t as favorable as we desired.
After having broken the ice over lunch, we took a brief car ride over to Christmas Tree Hill, one of the shops in the Outlet that offers home décor, gifts, jewelry & boutique, and other wares – with a particular emphasis on Christmas and holiday-related themes. It had that warm ginger aroma one associates with Christmas and there were Christmas trees, Santa displays, nativity scenes, winter-themed paintings, but also items of a more general, patriotic, or even summer flavor. As we walked around, my mom called to check on me, and she and Avellina shared a brief conversation for the first time. We crossed over to Book Warehouse, where we went our own way to view books that were of interest to us, with me looking through the politics, biography, and current events sections, while she spent time in the religion and fiction sections. Around 5:00 PM, Mr. Balestri had returned, and it was time for us to part ways, but this had been a good first meeting and we looked forward to the next day.
Later, I contacted my church friend, Antoinette, who lives about 40 miles south of Gettysburg, and made arrangements to visit her that evening. Driving down most of what I had traveled yesterday in reverse, I arrived at her house just after 7:00 PM. Antoinette had moved to Savannah many years before, where she and my mom developed a close bond as professionals (mom being a doctor of education and Antoinette being a dentist), and she became like an older sister to me. Now married and living in the Baltimore area with two children, she has remained close to us. We talked about my travels, meeting Avellina, discussed life in Savannah, our families, and how she has been doing up there – all while eating seafood and having her little children running around with dynamic abandon. They are a lot to handle, but I enjoyed playing with them, and this part of the trip turned out to be a pleasant bonus.
Around 9:30 PM, I parted ways to return to Gettysburg with the feeling that this whole trip was worth everything it had taken to organize it. Despite having eaten at Antoinette’s house, I stopped at a Wendy’s to get a chicken sandwich meal, and upon returning to the hotel, I chowed down while looking through the gift bag Avellina and her dad had given me earlier that day. There were several gifts, including trinkets from her trip to the United Kingdom last year for the Tolkien conference sponsored by F&F, as well as a beautiful card with a lovely hand-written message about us having beaten the odds to finally meet face-to-face, and I looked forward to continuing this on Saturday.
However, in the early morning hours, I experienced an awful stomachache, perhaps due to overeating or some form of food poisoning. Whatever it was, I couldn’t leave the room and made trips between the bathroom and the bed – hoping I’d get better before it was time to meet Avellina, for we had looked forward to meeting earlier than we had previously. However, she messaged me that she wouldn’t be available until later and that we’d be limited to visiting religious sites, but suggested that I go to some Gettysburg sites and take pictures. Instead, I took advantage of the extra time to pull myself together.
Eventually, I had recovered sufficiently to get dressed, wash up, and head out to meet Avellina and Mr. Balestri, but before that, I stopped at CVS to pick up some mints, Tylenol, and Ginger Ale on the recommendation of my grandma to help ease the stomachache. Though I was feeling better, I informed them of what had happened and upon meeting them at the Outlet, they made sure that I was doing okay before we drove separately to Emmitsburg, Maryland.
There, we visited the National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, a site that is dedicated to the first American-born saint of the Catholic Church. We entered the enormous, breathtaking basilica – built with marble and other fine materials, and extensively decorated with beautiful artwork, but I was shocked when Mr. Balestri – who once worked at the Shrine – informed me that it had been built in 1965. There, we lit candles at the tomb of Saint Elizabeth, before going downstairs to the museum to view a film about her life and legacy, and then made our way to the gift shop. There, Avellina looked through the books and jotted some of them down for purchasing later on Amazon, while also assisting me with gift selections for my family. Throughout all of this, we took pictures at several locations, including in the sanctuary, the Gethsemane Niche, and at the massive painting of St. Vincent de Paul.
Most of the commentary as we went through here and the other religious sites was provided by Mr. Balestri, and on the outside of the main building of the Shrine, he pointed out the buildings that were home to Saint Elizabeth and her religious works. Just before we left, my mom called to check on me and also had a warm conversation with Mr. Balestri.
We then traveled south to Mount St. Mary’s University and ventured into the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception. Unlike the Seton Shrine, this was built over a century ago but was just as beautiful in its architecture and artistry, and I particularly found myself entranced by its rose windows. High above near the dome, I was able to see the representations of the four Gospel evangelists – Matthew the man, Mark the lion, Luke the ox, and John the eagle. From all angles, as I walked around the front of the sanctuary near the altar, I could take in the majesty of the place and feel the presence of God, and Mr. Balestri pointed out the shrines and statues that were of significance. Off to the side were a drum set, microphones, and stands for instruments, which were there for some Masses catering to the university student population, though it appeared that he was not a particular fan.
Outside, from the top of the stairs leading into the door, I could view the vast expanse of land across the horizon as the sun was setting. It was a breathtaking sight, for the building is located upon the top of a hill, allowing for views of the area below. We took pictures at this point, but with the air rapidly getting colder, we quickly made our way back to the cars and drove back into Pennsylvania to attend Mass at the Sacred Heart Basilica in Hanover. Founded as Conewago Chapel in 1730, it is the first American Catholic church (and perhaps in all of North America) to bear the name “Sacred Heart” and in honor of this, was raised to minor basilica status by Pope John XXIII in 1962. The current structure was built in 1787, making it the oldest Catholic church stone building in America.
As we went inside, the Mass was already in progress, and Avellina and Mr. Balestri briefed me, as a non-Catholic Christian, on what to do and expect. In the sanctuary, we stood at the back, though eventually got a chair for Avellina out of the nearby confession booth. Some parts of the Mass looked and felt vaguely familiar to my own religious traditions, though Mr. Balestri provided helpful guidance and commentary to facilitate my understanding. The music, as well as the sermon, were quite good and there were times of familiarity, such as the recitation of the Lord’s Prayer and the Apostle’s Creed, though still differences to be observed. When it came time for communion, I chose to go up to the front with my arms crossed over the chest to receive a blessing from the priest, since that was the most respectful thing to do as a guest. After the Mass, we lit candles and I stood in awe of the sanctuary and its painted ceiling – another fine example of religious artistry. While I am not Catholic, it was hard not to have an appreciation for the Basilica and the other sacred sites.
Upon leaving, we drove to Olive Garden to join Avellina’s friend Kat for dinner. My stomachache from earlier had cleared up substantially, and not having eaten yet, I was looking forward to a hearty meal. It was, in many ways, a suitable way to end the day, and Mr. Balestri left us young ones to enjoy ourselves and it was a pleasure getting to know Kat, who is a librarian and Avellina’s go-to person for attending movies, going out to dinner, and other engagements. Over the next two hours, we engaged in conversation about our favorite interests, including Titanic, Harry Potter, Robin Hood, and other fandoms, as well as Kat’s talent at sword-fighting.
The food was good, but the stomachache had crept back – due partly to having eaten several appetizer bread and mozzarella sticks – I wasn’t able to eat all of my spaghetti meal, and Avellina hardly touched her plate, but otherwise, we had a good time. At the end, I presented the Balestri’s with their gifts, which I believed were representative of Savannah and Georgia, and I’m glad we were able to have a gift exchange for this first-time meeting.
It was a meeting that came to an end about as fast as it began, but I felt satisfied when I shared a final hug with Avellina and bid her farewell. Nothing went as planned, but at least we’d done it and laid the foundation for future visits. Certainly, I was appreciative of her for being a trooper and was grateful to Mr. Balestri for driving her and being a helpful, informative, and witty guide. At his request, Kat graciously lead me back to my hotel in Gettysburg and I prepared for my return to Savannah.
After a few hours of sleep, I awoke to check out of the hotel at around 4:15 AM, filled up the car with fuel, and headed back to BWI. Already ahead of time, my flight was delayed, so I got breakfast and Mr. Balestri called to ensure that I had made it to the airport and that all was well. We had a good conversation about the weekend but agreed that future meetings ought to be in warmer weather for everyone’s sake, and I brought up the possibility of a visit to Savannah. It felt as though the ice had been broken with regard to us meeting face-to-face and he told me more about himself, his career in vaudeville, and the Tolkien conference at Oxford. It was a conversation I was pleased to have, not only because he helped to keep me company, but because it was good to get to know him better.
Finally, the plane arrived and we said our good-byes. With the flight substantially delayed, I asked mom to get me from the airport in Savannah, since my new arrival time would have caused a schedule conflict for dad. Once again, I was fortunate to have a window seat and as we took off, I looked out across the landscape and said to myself, “till we meet again.”
