A while back, a window colleague in Detroit bought some glass from a deconstruction job site I was working on in Vermont, with the understanding that she and I would see each other at a conference later that year, so I could deliver the glass to her. I ended up not going to the conference, and our schedules got complicated, so the glass moved with me when I relocated to Connecticut a few weeks ago. We finally got our schedules to synch up for a day, so we drove to a halfway point in the middle of Pennsylvania for the hand-off. The trip went splendidly, the glass went home with her, and it's one less thing for me to stress about, finally.
Back when I thought I might be driving all the way out to Detroit to make the delivery, I mentioned the trip to someone who didn't know me very well, and he asked when I'd be going so he could put it on his calendar and come with me, phrased in such a way as to suggest he was making this offer for my benefit, as if I needed help. I scoffed a little and told him I'd be making the trip alone, and he seemed taken aback. I'm far happier driving by myself most of the time -- having all that time to myself without having to strain to hear what a companion is saying or force myself to be social is part of the joy of long trips. I can listen to whatever I like, chatter to myself, admire the scenery, stop when I need to, and not have to worry about anyone's needs but my own. It's wonderful! So his "helpful" offer was an unwelcome imposition, especially given that he didn't ask whether I wanted company first.
Yesterday's trip was lovely, but for the intermittent rain that pestered me all day. Getting on the road at 5:45am on a Sunday made for a traffic-free drive out, and even the traffic I encountered on the way back wasn't too bad. Part of the trip was through an area I've never travelled before, and I loved broadening my range. I did discover that Pennsylvania is awful about picking up roadkill -- I must've seen three dozen deer carcasses, and about as many birds (hawks, vultures, and turkeys), in addition to occasional coyotes and opossums. I passed the hospital in which I was born, stopped for dinner a few miles from where my father grew up, and marveled at how much things have changed.
I'm a little sad that I don't have any other long trips to look forward to in the near future, but I'm sure I'll come up with something. And I'll do it alone, because, for me, that's the best way to travel.
I had a road trip today 3 hrs N. of here 1 way for a tribal mtng. Today's was a lg 1 where both local councils were mtng together at a halfway point & reps from OK were joining. I'd been looking forward to going to this for months, I’d excused myself from turtle patrol today, I gassed the car Fri & picked out what I was going to make for the stupid potluck (I like potlucks but trying to make something & then drive 3 hrs means it can't be hot or cold, just rm temp. & there's always too much dessert bc anyone who doesn't want to cook will stop at the store on the way over & grab something from the bakery so the sweets section becomes overwhelming. I've also tried to buy something when I get into town but being unfamiliar w/the area, I waste time trying to find a store & then trying to find something adequate inside the store). The thing I was going to make would be a "derby-esque" pie but I needed to go to the store for ingredients but at least if no one eats it bc of there being so many other choices for dessert, I will happily take it home. However last night, I never went back out for the ingredients after I got, in fact, I didn't even have a proper dinner rather I just polished off the broken chips in the bottom of a bag & resigned myself to buy something in town. When my alarm went off this morning..I shut it off. I've just gotten over a cold so continuing to not have to be anywhere as people watch in horrified fascination at me coughing seemed really good at the time. My family is likely to also be at this thing today... the last time I saw them was last yr, at this mtng. That's how close we are. We acted like real good friends in the photo but I didn't kno they were coming since they ditched the mtng for yrs but they likely knew from my Fb that I was going to them still. It makes me wonder if they were as surprised to see me last yr (after the registration lady told me that my whole family was already signed in) as I was to see them. Aside from an occasional polite comment on Fb, none of us talk & tho we're only a couple hrs away from each other, we don't meet. There was also an exchange right before Harvey. It was swelling so quickly like I haven't seen before & it was still projected to hit Corpus & I was terrified by Tues that storm surge would cause flooding unlike anything we could handle. I’ve done many storms before but this one had me rattled & I asked a relative if I could shelter w/them since they were inland & they said no. I asked a 2nd one, & they said no also. It wasn't about saving a buck bc as a 3rd relative chimed in that they'd give me some money for a hotel..like paying me off to go away. I just didn't want to be alone. Mom was shocked they refused bc she was certain they better ppl than that. It was so hard to even just ask if I could come over bc I was afraid of rejection & mom insisted they wouldn't do that. meanwhile, people who I’d met only briefly from patrolling a yr or 2 passed were calling out to their Gulf Coast chums stating anyone needing to shelter w/them was welcome..go figure that folks who are barely more than strangers will rally together in a crisis better than your own blood. A friend at work took the cat & I during Harvey...& I didn't even have to ask--that's friendship. Making sure the ppl you care about are taken care of.
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to puzzle out my motivation-or lack of, for ditching the mtng. Was it really just about catching extra Zzzs since I've been under the weather? Too lazy to go the store? Afraid of running into relatives which propriety would require me to sit with?
But, you're always welcome to road trip down to me! :) That's like 3 solid days of choosing your own radio station (& don't forget the return trip!).
I'm sorry your relatives didn't live up to your hopes... I know what that's like. The saying that "blood is thicker than water" is actually a bastardization of the original, "the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb," meaning, unlike the modern version, that friendships are stronger bonds than genetics.
DeleteI would love to road trip down to see you. I just need to be able to afford the trip.