WALKING ROUTE 66
When You Network Online You Get Better Results
Speak up! Don’t assume anything.
I had a Toastmaster friend from Houston who was living in St Louis at the time. His place was two blocks from Route 66. Ken was going to host me when I got to St Louis.
That was the plan, but plans don’t always work out. Ken had issues with his roommate and had to move back to Houston at the end of July. So, I put it out there in my network of friends and acquaintants to see if there was anyone who can help out while I was in St Louis.
Chris Dunphy and Cherie VeArd are full-time nomads. Their love story is what legends are made of, but I digress. They have a blog called Technomadia | Adventures in Nomadic Serendipity. They’re both in the tech business, and they’re nomads, and well known in both communities with high regards.
I had met them several years ago when they were passing through Houston on their way to Austin, from Florida. They were able to park their rig at our Apartment Complex for the night after we met for dinner at a Pakistani restaurant.
When Chris heard about it, he reached out to his tribe. Geoff and Sarah, a couple in St Louis, offered to host me. I had been in touch with Sarah for a couple of days, keeping her posted on my progress toward St Louis. Sarah was cooking rice, and I promised, no, insisted that I will make chicken curry for dinner.
When I left Denny’s on Sunday morning, it was drizzling. The weatherman was predicting that it will dissipate as the day got warmer. They have a reputation to live up to; so, I had to take out my rain poncho.
Instead of following the frontage road at I-55, I listened to Google and took the bike trail. Sigh!
Between the rain and the “shortcut,” I had barely got across the Mighty Mississippi, and it was the time I was supposed to be at their place. Geoff was kind enough to come to get me in his pickup.
Sarah was cooking her Indian coconut rice when Geoff and I arrived. They had most of the ingredients I needed for the chicken curry. Geoff baked a loaf of bread while I made the curry. Everything smelled good.
Did you know that the coconut rice is extremely sweet? I never had coconut rice. We always had plain rice. Well, the coconut milk in the rice neutralized the hot and savory spices in the curry. So much for an exotic dinner. LOL
They graciously offered to let me stay an extra day if I wanted to rest up some more, which I accepted with gratitude.
As I think back and reflect.
While I may not have been the guest from hell, I certainly was not heaven-sent.
Chris had “sold” me as a good conversationist, which I am, usually. But, Sarah and I were, let’s say, not exactly a match made in heaven.
As I think back, I could have made an effort to talk about politics, which I avoid at all costs. The reason I avoid politics is that most people are not open to “discuss” it. But, I did have an opportunity to offer my opinion, which is what she had asked me. I had assumed that it would create friction, which is what I try to avoid by not talking about politics.
The other thorn, and again, I am imagining it, was that she had assumed I was Hindu because I was from India. She was taken aback to find I was a Muslim, which was the aspect of politics she had brought up in the first place.
It is what it is, but it could have been better. Or, it could have been worse. I am grateful that they were gracious enough to host me for an additional night and help me in my time of need.
Stay blessed and be happy, my friends.
Day 26: crossing Mississippi (Original blog post)
Just for fun.
Mississippi moon keeps shining on me.
I invite you to tag along if you’re up to it. I am tagging a few friends who I think will be interested. If you are tagged but don’t want to read my stories daily, just let me know in the comments, and I will not tag you moving forward. If you are reading this and aren’t tagged, but you’d like to come along, let me know so that I can tag you.
Michele Amy Trista Henery Timothy Tim P.G. Sherry Saloni Indra B. A. Linda Sharon Tree Linda Britni Desiree Elisabeth Simona Kristin Helen Julia Chris Rosennab Tom Truenorth Agnes Aurora LauraRaduenz Catherine Joe Stuart Gurpreet BFoundAPen Margie Bob NaNa’sworld
As always, thank you for reading and responding.
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Rasheed Hooda is a published author, and a regular contributor and editor for ILLUMINATION, a writers’ community on Medium, where writers support each other.
He is a self-proclaimed weirdo who lives a Freedom Lifestyle and writes about related topics — Travel (a top writer), Personal Growth, Freedom, and entrepreneurship. (Get the Newsletter)
