Do You Play an Instrument?

My favorite rest area is off I-77 right over the bridge from Marietta going south, or just before the bridge to Marietta if you’re driving north. It’s a unique welcome center because it’s a Wi-Fi hotspot and you can access it from the parking lot most days or nights. As a writer, it’s been a favorite getaway for writing. If you’ve stopped there you might have seen me typing away in my car, or in a rocking chair in the little alcove inside when the welcome center is open. I must have never come here on a Wednesday evening before, though! How strange! I probably came every other day of the week. I just needed the restroom tonight (Wednesday as I write this) and knew the bathroom there never has a line for the women’s room. There are plenty of clean and tidy stalls, so I got off the exit and wandered inside.

Free Entertainment!

I was greeted by beautiful voices and instrumental sounds harmonizing to the song of “Take Me Home, Country Roads.” “Cool,” I thought, “they’re piping in music now.” But as I turned the corner toward the bathroom, there was a group of people with guitars, basses, and violins sitting around singing. I introduced myself to a man named John. “Do you play?” John asked. I’ll leave it all a mystery for you. Who is this John? And who are these people? Here was a group with no name on the edge of West Virginia, singing about its mountains. Well, apparently, these people are you — anyone’s invited on Wednesday nights to join in the jamming fun.

Join in or Simply Enjoy!

Bring your instruments and your voices, or just come and enjoy the music. (At the very least, use the restroom!) A warning though — bring a chair if you want to sit. It’s a nice big room, but the only chairs are the ones they have brought. There’s a little circular landscape spot where you can sit, but it’s limited space for sure, and of course half of it will be facing the other way. When? Wednesday evenings from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. I’m pretty sure the welcome center side closes at 6, so if you want to sit in the alcove during the music, that area will be closed off. The group has no website and no name. So, go ahead. Pretend it’s the old days without websites and just wander in and introduce yourself! I so wish I had my camera with me tonight!