WALKING ROUTE 66
When You Find The Gold On The Road
It’s not always the yellow shining stuff.
When I woke up on Sunday morning, the sun was already up. I didn’t want to get in the way of people coming in for the services, so I headed across the Interstate to freshen up and get something to eat before hitting the road.
The lady suggested that I should swing by Paris Spring and check out the old gas station. I am glad I did. It was like finding gold in the middle of nowhere. George is a well-known figure among the “roadies” (people dedicated to preserving the Mother Road). He was very accommodating and hospitable. Gay Parita Sinclair, as it is known, is a Route 66 landmark. Of course, I bought some souvenirs.
Next, I passed through Spencer, where I saw the closed down Phillips 66 station. It is practically a ghost town. As I was passing through there, a car stopped, and the lady said that her son wanted to ask me some questions. Becky and Terrence saw me at the Sinclair station in Paris Springs, as I was leaving. We have become Facebook friends and keep in touch.
I arrived at my destination, Crossroads, at Albatross, at about 3 PM. I bought a can of chili at the c-store and heated it in the microwave oven. A bag of Fritos made it a perfect dinner. While I was eating, a couple came to shop at the store, and we got to talking. They offered to share a joint if I was interested. I politely turned it down. They weren’t the only ones to offer it during the trip.
The lady at the c-store told me that the park with a picnic table on the other side of the crossroads was a favorite spot for the travelers to camp out for the night. I found it to be perfect.
As I think back and ponder.
Small town folks who live a slower and laid back lifestyle are more helpful and happier in general. That is not to say that people in the cities are not helpful. They are helpful as well.
There is a huge difference between legal and moral. Not everything legal is morally correct, or everything illegal is immoral. The couple that offered to share a joint with me, were doing so with the most sincere of intention to help me relax after a long and grueling walk. They did not see what they were doing as anything wrong though it was not legally allowed.
I look forward to the day when legality is based on the spirit of the law and not the letter of the law. The idea of making laws was based on the common good, but over the years it has been hijacked by greedy capitalists who buy out the lawmakers.
Stay blessed and be happy, my friends.
Day 47: Crossroads (Original blog post).
Just for fun.
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Rasheed Hooda is a published author who has contributed to many of Medium’s top Publications; The Startup, The Ascent, P.S. I Love You, Rogues’ Gallery, and ILLUMINATION, to name a few. He is also a Top Writer for several topics. If you like his work, buy him a coffee, he drinks a lot of it.