My road trip…
“Where are you?”
“I’m in Tennessee.”
“You scare me. You worry me…”
“I’ll be fine. I AM fine.”
“…it’s kinda cool that you can do this…”
“Yeah, I hear that.”
I took a road trip. I headed east. I had no idea where I was going, just that I wanted to go. I had an entire week in between my last day of work in Arkansas and the first day of band. I wanted it that way. I wanted to go somewhere. I looked at trains, airplanes, buses…and ended up taking my car. I have a little 2001 Kia Sportage. Not that great of a car, especially since the air conditioning doesn’t really work that well. But it gets great gas mileage.
Saturday and Sunday were spent with my sister here in Arkansas. I thought about leaving on Sunday, but I wanted to sleep so badly. I did wake up around 10am or so to an empty house. I was tempted to leave, but that would not be kosher, so decided against it. (Yes, I know that “kosher” was not used in the correct context…but I don’t care. I just like the word.) I decided I would leave Monday morning.
Monday: I woke up around 8am. No reason, other than lacking the ability to sleep any more. I got a shower and started looking at packing. I had no idea where I was going, what I was going to do once I got there, or how long I was going to be gone. What the flip was I going to pack? I ended up taking about 3 changes of clothing and one pair of shoes besides the ones that were already on my feet. My mother was already off at work. My father was waiting on the nurse to arrive for my grandmother. No one was taking me seriously. No one thought I was really going to leave.
“Hello?”
“I can’t believe what I’m hearing. Is that…wind?”
“Yeah.”
“You really left.”
I hit the road. I followed the signs that said “East”…nothing else. Not even 45 minutes away, I came to a town I have been to a few times before. I remember the food, grape juice, winery tours, the church. St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Altus, AR. It’s absolutely gorgeous. I’ll have pictures up on Flickr before the day is out. I went and just sat in awe of the beauty. The church is located on the top of a large hill…or mountain. Not quite sure. Either way, the view is breath-taking. After seeing the church, I hit the road again. I went all the way through Arkansas and ended up in Tennessee. I was tempted to stop in Memphis, but I toughed it out and stopped in Nashville. I arrived at about 8:30pm. I was beat. So, I rested.
Tuesday: I woke up in Nashville. Home of country music legends. I checked out of the hotel and headed to Downtown Nashville. I found my way to Broadway. Union Station. CMT (Country Music Television). I walked around for a while. It reminded me so much of New York City. The only real difference is it’s a lot smaller. It has the same feel, just less crap. Not to mention, it’s spotlessly clean compared to NYC. I wondered around Nashville for a few hours, ended up paying $1.50 for a can of coke, and hit the road again. I went back west. I drove about two hours and ended up in Memphis. I remembered Beale Street from late junior high and wanted to see it again. But it was way to early for anything really interesting to be going on, so I found a hotel again. I chanced into a cheaper one. With internet. And a pool. I chilled for a little and went swimming. I even made a friend. I get to the indoor pool and there were two people in it already. But I had to get in the water, so I just intruded. Turns out it was a father and son. 7 year old Conner and 29 year old Ryan or Bryan or Randy. I feel bad, I didn’t really get his name. Anywho, we talked for about an hour while Conner splashed around and played games. He is from Nashville, owns a restaurant/catering service, has a girlfriend with an 18 month old daughter, did this, did that…basically, we talked about anything and everything. We ended up parting ways and I went back to the room to get ready for Beale Street. I didn’t head out till about 8pm. Nothing starts till late at night anyway. I figured that out after I got there and saw signs up. It’s pure nightlife. I walked around. The street is blocked off between such-and-such hours. One guy came up to me for cigarettes. Three times. A group of males were standing in the middle of the sidewalk and one turns to me, has a beer in one hand and waves at me with the goofiest smile on his face. The others follow suit. I get to the end of the street and there is an officer of the law standing over a male handcuffed face-down on the street. I laugh and turn to walk away. I see a park. Not well lit, so I don’t venture in. I leave Beale Street and head back to the hotel after making one purchase. I buy my father a shirt. He is the only person I bought anything for. Go Dad! I get back to the hotel, still no internet (didn’t have it to begin with) so I hit the sack.
Wednesday: I wake up in Memphis, Tennessee. 9am. Take a shower. Check out. Hit the road. West (again). I drive all the way back to my “hometown”. No stops (other than gas stations). I make a few phone calls once I am back and go back to the work place I quit only days before. I had to pick up my paycheck. My aunt already had it though, so I didn’t even go into the building I worked in. I went into the one right next to it. I talk candidly with several people who are quiting in the days to come and those who wish they had somewhere to go so they could quit. I meet up with a friend. We grab lunch and I head back to the house. I unpack and do some laundry and generally relax….some more. I watch movies and catch up on the internet part of my life.
So, I move out in a matter of days. I am moving out for good. I have an apartment with a friend and her boyfriend. We have a pretty good deal on the rent and all, so I’m really excited. I start packing tomorrow.
Here’s the video from the trip….
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