Stop number four on the trip and, ohh wow, what a stop — The Bennett School for Girls. I admit to getting a little (lot) excited about some of these places, but I don’t think I had swooned quite so much, over a location on the trip, as I did here. It was the exterior that captured my imagination — the interior was fun but nothing compared to the outside. Even from a mile away it was just incredible. Perched atop a grassy hilltop stood the majestic but decaying school, which can only be described as the perfect set for a Hollywood horror movie. 

We planned The Bennett School as our last stop before heading into New York for New Year’s Eve. I can’t recall, now, what made us swap Hudson Valley Psych. for the school.  I think it was the impending snow storm, and a “what do you want more, if we have to not do one” kind of thing. I think it was also a case of Poughkeepsie being closer to New York than Millbrook, whatever, we swapped days, and I am so glad we did, I wouldn’t have missed the school for anything.

I know the decision must have taken a long time—all our decisions take a long time. To an outsider we would be the most exhausting pair of women to listen to. Our conversations generally go along the lines of, “well, what do you think?” “I don’t know, what do you think?” Well, what do you want to do? “Well, I don’t know, what do you want to do?” “You make the decision.” “No, you make the decision.”  This kind of conversation can sometimes go on for 20 minutes. In hindsight it’s amazing we actually ever get into anywhere let alone take any photos, or for that matter ever eat—restaurant decisions take even longer—and usually result in no decision, followed by an hours silence, followed by severe hunger pangs which drive us to give in to another round of decision making.

At Bennett, however, I wasn’t buying into our inevitable and circuitous should we, shouldn’t we bullshit—I was going in, that was it. And so our first and only and very minor disagreement of the trip occurred. I should be more respectful of other people’s hunches, I respect my own, but sometimes I, maybe, suffer from a little tunnel vision when I really want to do something. My fellow explorer developed her first case of “I don’t think we should do this one.” She was convinced the school was leaning in on itself from both sides and would collapse around us. I think maybe she was just over-tired.

I didn’t even volunteer to begin a will we, won’t we discussion. I simply, in an exasperated tone, stated, “fine, go back to the hotel room, I’ll call you when I’m done and you can come and get me." Of course this didn’t work. If I was going in she was going in—but ohh man the whining—I think the 20-minute decision making process is less torturous. To her credit she did apologize at the end of the day. And I was right—lo and behold the building didn’t collapse around us. My theory is this: if it’s been there 100 plus years and it’s still standing the odds of it collapsing on the day we’re there must be slim. I’ll take my chances. It’s gotta be safer than taking 95 home, late, on a Saturday night.

So, the Bennett School, where to start the story, I guess with our unexpected but very sweet visitors. But I’ll leave that until next time. I have photos calling me.