No particular place to go

I had to run a few errands this morning. I mailed out some bills, picked up some dry cleaning, the like. I got back on the expressway, heading home. For reasons that escape me, I skipped my exit and just kept on driving. I had no idea where I was going...I just went on instinct. If an exit looked like someplace interesting, I took it.

All I knew about my route was that it I was heading west, deep into rural Oklahoma. I passed farm after farm, small town after small town. I stopped at a diner in a town I can't remember. I had never had better roast beef and mashed potatoes. The sweet tea had enough sugar in it to keep me going on the next leg of my journey.

I pulled into a cemetery out in the middle of nowhere. I needed to stretch my legs and it was the only place to turn off the road for as far as the eye could see. I walked around the tombstones. The most recent grave was from 1957, the oldest read 1897. I sat down next to a tree to take in the absloute quiet. This was on the top of a hill, and I could see for miles. There was nothing around. Miles of grazing land, but no cows or horses. Then, I got to thinking about the graves. Were all these people the last of some ghost town around here? Has no one else died since 1957? Or, did they just start burying people at another cemetery? Did anyone else ever visit loved ones at this cemetery? After about a half-hour of pondering, I hit the road again.

I wasted a tank and a half of gas in total before I decided to turn around. I bought a map at a gas station along with a Yoohoo and a KitKat (another sugar rush), and tried to figure out where I was. I couldn't. The country bumpkin behind the counter was no help at all. So, I just headed back the way I came, looking for town names that looked familiar. Eventually, I found a sign that said Oklahoma City was 63 miles away, so that's where I was headed. I could find my way back home from there.

When I got home it was dark, and I could hear Cody meowing from down the staircase. I had done absolutely nothing all day, and had spent almost $100 in gas, food and tolls doing it. I may have to eat bologna all next week to make up for it, but it was worth it. I gained some perspective on my life and the world, even though I probably only traveld about one-eighth across the country. I figure if I ever have the time and the cash, I may go even further next time.

I made myself some George Foremaned chicken for my dinner, and shared some of it with Cody to make up for being gone all day. Then, I cleaned up the apartment, took out the trash and listened to a couple of old Ray Charles records before settling in to bed with the laptop. I googled my friend's names for a while. I found Sid's name on a draft list for the NHL. Nicky's name is the same as a lounge singer in Amsterdam. Clara recently celebrated her 101st birthday. Grace starred in several obscure b-movies in the 50's. My ex's name is registered as a sex offender in Montana. Nana is a student of the month at Bell Elementary in Minneapolis. Papa died of a political hunger strike in an Irish prison back in 1973. And apparently, I have the same name as a guy who now calls himself Elvis Costello. Rock on!

And now, I must get some sleep. It's been a along day.