Some stories start with horsepower, asphalt, and maps.
This one started with Boston summer heat, a second-hand AC, and Kurt — a man of machining wisdom and kindness.
It was in the thick of July, my apartment slowly baking me alive, when I casually asked around for an extra AC. Without hesitation, Kurt offered me one. A simple gesture, but one that carried me through the season.
With summer closing, it was time to return the AC. I grabbed a case of Sam Adams Octoberfest and a fresh apple pie — his favorites — as a thank-you.
A small gesture in return for a big kindness.
Returning the AC that carried me through the summer heat.
I thought it would be a quick drop-off. Instead, it turned into a perfect evening. Kurt asked if I had time for a boat ride. And for me, the answer to something like that will always be yes.
Where the adventure began.
The tide was rolling in, Quincy shore was calm, and the sky was shifting shades by the minute as the sun began its descent.
On the dock sat a 1998 boat with a two-stroke outboard motor pushing 120 hp — and as always, I had to geek out over the machine that would carry us. Kurt fired it up, the puff of smoke rising in classic two-stroke fashion, followed by that steady idle rumble.
At the helm — Kurt handed me the controls.
We set out on the Weymouth River, the boat slicing through calm waters. Out of nowhere, Kurt handed me the wheel. Me, driving his boat — with the sky painted in surreal shades and the motor humming under my hand.
We caught glimpses of the USS Salem, circled around it, and chased the fading light into Hingham Bay.
The USS Salem standing tall against the evening sky.
The sky putting on a show as we chased the horizon.
The Boston skyline appeared in the distance, glowing in colors that didn’t seem real. We wanted to go further, but with the gas gauge dipping low, we turned back under the Weymouth bridge.
This time, Kurt cranked up his stereo, deck lit in blue lights — and for that moment, we were the coolest folks on the water.
A chilled breeze rolled in, reminding us that fall was around the corner. Kurt, beer in hand and apple pie on deck, looked perfectly content.
For me, it was the perfect way to close out summer — gratitude, machines, and an evening I’ll never forget.