Road Trip

Yes. It finally happened.

I left home at about 10:30 Thursday morning as opposed to the night before as intended. The weather was beautiful. In less than an hour I was out of town. I had taken 59 going North. On the way I was thinking about where to go, what to do, the cost, if this was the right use of time and money, etc.

Repeatedly the thoughts about other matters also kept crossing each other. That I had forgotten the blanket and the pillow. That I left the title and insurance of the car right there where I was tying the shoe lace, etc. Well, we'll deal with it if the night is cold or when the trooper pulls me over.

Of all those thoughts, came bang, a mighty heavy one. This one had been there for a while and I didn't let it come to the fore always. Long time ago a very dear friend, and then colleague, of mine - Shagufta - had given me what she had written some years ago to the effect that why people keep putting off doing things that they like. Thanks Shag. Since then I've heard and read similar views elsewhere. Why does something totally unrelated and irrelevant has to happen before I do something that can be good for my soul and heart, and may be mind, right here, right now. Some call it prudent, some patience, some sacrifice. I don't want to be too philosophical about it really. And that kind of thinking may have some merit. But really, from what I have seen a whole lot of us worry or wait for the next long weekend, next raise, agreeable or like-minded company, kids' school, better set of circumstances, etc. before we'd do certain things that we can do right now, right here that we've been wanting to do all along.

Why talk about others, take me. I still haven't bought that set of wood carving tools because at this point in time it is not the priority. But then the HOA (and I so badly want to use an expletive here but choose not to) sends me a bill for almost a thousand dollars and I'll pay it. Is that really my priority? Heck no. That shit got formed off of this society and system I choose to live in. So, while I'll pay that bill, I'll make sure I take another, closer look at the so called and much touted "priorities" from now on. Anyways...

So I pass Kingwood and Porter and I know there's Splendora and Cleveland, etc. not too far up north. I don't stop here for they are too close to town and a little bit familiar because a couple of our clients have their businesses here. But it reinforced an idea, the one about talking to people. So I stopped at Goodrich. Hanged around a store a little bit, stared at and weighed in folks as to who'd talk to me and be willing to go on camera. A couple of people I spoke to weren't from around here. I had my own shyness and hesitation to get rid off also. Well, I guess it's not something you can get rid off totally. The best you can do is get a handle on it. You learn to maneuver and get by and constantly make the best of it. At least that's what I do. Anyways, Goodrich is the first attempt. Not successful 'cause it didn't yield any footage. Yet a success as I found out I can approach total strangers and they won't bite me.

So I drive on. Man, it was pretty. Blue skies and bright sun gave way to clouds that got grayer by the mile. It drizzled a little bit. Sometimes no matter how bad the weather is, if it's good inside, then that's all that matters. And the colour on the trees. I didn't ever think this way but I asked myself. Can death make things look so pretty. What else was it but the drying and falling leaves. May be it's the awareness of becoming alive again in a few weeks. If I'd know at my deathbed that I'll come back to join my loved ones, may be I'd look that good too. I can't say it enough it looked so beautiful.

About two hours outside of Houston I decide to make another stop. This is Moscow, Texas. What stopped me was the rundown shape the post office front was in. Charlene is about to close shop but very kind to talk to me. So is Crystal. Thanks, ladies. I tried to get the USB cable earlier today so I could upload the video but couldn't find the right one. There's something about not needing the USB but a Firewire cable. And the computer needing 4 point or 6 point card blah, blah. I'll make another attempt in the next day or two.

The colours I just referred to were really bright and hot in Corrigan. That's a mental note I had made. Corrigan seemed relatively prosperous. I am saying this because on the way, almost all the way up to Carthage I saw a lot of boarded up businesses and store fronts, old broken down shacks, some property fronts that looked like roadside salvage yards. For all I know may be they actually were. I didn't stop to check. Also, I don't know if it was Ike or the lumber companies, but there were a lot of fallen trees. As far as the lumberyards go, I just saw one and that was I think beyond Nacogdoches. Yeah, Nacogdoches. I've heard it said before and saw two big billboards announcing it's the oldest town in Texas. And I got to talk to its newest resident. He's from India and has been here five months. You'll see and hear him say this himself in a couple of days, soon as I get the cable to upload the videos.

But before that there was Lufkin. Five attempts, first three rejects. But by now I had learnt to not give up. So the next two I got on tape. And a guy interrupted "not much to talk about Lufkin". I thought that's a first one. I've never seen an unproud Texan. In fact cancel that. You can't be a Texan and not be proud of your town. So I conclude he is not a Texan. Or may be he was just butting in, you know, that's another way of makin' it known you're a country boy. I bet if he'd be a country song writer he'd eventually write something like "Bury me in Lufkin Texas in my jeans, or out". Next time I'm definitely going to Lubbock.

Past Lufkin there was this totally rundown, gone to the dogs building. I crossed it at what, say 60 miles, and I caught the word theater. What? A theater? I parked on the shoulder and walked back. It was Redland Drive In Theater. Those were the days hm? Drive In theaters. No more. Not the way they came then, anyways.

I'm at this the past couple of hours and getting tired now. So, I'll post it now and write more later in the night, or may be in the morning.

Random Road Trip

After a long time it looked like it'll happen. But then may be it wouldn't. I don't know.

One thing that I have been wanting to do for a long time is to take a road trip - a trip to no predetermined destination. Just take a piece of time, say a long weekend. In the first half of the chunk of time you have, you go as far as you can in any direction, stopping where you feel like for as long as you like, sleep and rest in the car when necessary. You turn around and come back in time to go to work, school or wherever you need to be. Chronicle your trip, create and enjoy the memories. Do it again if you like, meet some people, make new friends, learn some, teach some.

The only person who agreed to go with me one of these days, just backed out. I think I'm going to do it on my own - this thanksgiving weekend - that's right, tomorrow.

I've got to go get the tires and brakes checked and replaced if needed. The oil and filter definitley needs changing. And the belt.