Road Trip Conversation
Unexpected Delight
I’m doing a Bob Leonard here to recount an unforeseen conversation I had this past week. For those of you who don’t know him, here is the link to his always informative Substack Robert Leonard.
I was honored to participate in the Annual Gathering and 40th Year Celebration of the National Family Farm Coalition in St. Louis, Missouri, July 21st to the 24th. Founded in 1986 during the height of the Farm Crisis, I served as Chair of this organization in the early 90s. My role at the gathering was as an “OG”, older generation telling my herstory.
It had been a long time since I had rented a car to strike out on my own on a road trip. A local auto body shop had car rentals, close to home and better than driving to Omaha. A drawback was the car was an older model and didn’t have Bluetooth or a charger for my phone. I did not realize how dependent I am on an app and a cord. Because I was venturing into the unknown, I needed to use the GPS to wind my way to St. Louis. Little did I no how much the app would run down the battery of my phone so I had to stop a couple of times to recharge.
After the gathering, on my way back to Iowa, I stopped to get a charge at a Casey’s General Store in Chillicothe, Missouri. I spied an outlet on a side wall behind the sunglasses and ballcaps. I removed the charger from my purse, set my wallet on the window sill and plugged in. As the current flowed from wall to phone, I took time to catch up with family members. Once the phone was charged, I headed out the door.
I walked to the car passing two people standing outside having a smoke. Two unusual looking people. People I most likely would not see in Atlantic, Iowa.
Me: Hey
Them: Hey
Me: This cool weather is great!
Them: Yep it is.
Unlocking and climbing into the car, my purse felt rather light and I realized I didn’t have my wallet. Panicked, I hurriedly retraced my steps.
Me: Did you see me drop a wallet?
Them: Sorry, we weren’t looking
Me: Damn
Rushing in the door I looked over to the sunglass and ballcap stand and spotted my wallet on the window sill where I had negligently left it. With a sigh of relieve I retrieved my wallet that contained some of the most important documents that defined my life.
Me: Found it!
Them: Glad you did.
Realizing I was in no hurry, a nice thing about this road trip, I asked them if I could take their picture. I loved the bravissimo standing outside a Casey’s in northern Missouri. As I prepared to take their picture, Green Striped Mohawk said, “Let’s do a selfie.”
I asked them if they had been to a concert. Not that I was profiling, but they certainly looked like they were the concert type.
Girls Will Be Girls T-Shirt: Yeah, Sarah McLachlan in Kansas City.
Me: Oh, I really like her music! Lucky you. So, where’s your home?
Green Striped Mohawk: Norfolk.
Me: Whoa, Norfolk, Nebraska? How are you treated there? Are you accepted into the community?
Green Striped Mohawk: I’m a mail carrier and they love me.
Girls Will Be Girls: I cook for older people. They also love me.
Me: That’s so good to hear.
We talked a bit longer about the state of the world and politics. When we parted, I expected them to hop on a Harley and drive up the road. Instead they were driving a modest dark purple sedan. Nothing like their appearance would have me believe.
I asked them their names before we parted.
Green Striped Mohawk: Harmony
Girls Will Be Girls: Jennifer
Me: I’m Denise. Thanks for the conversation. I’m so glad we had this visit.
I finished my Missouri leg of the trip stopping at an orchard to buy some peaches. There were some gigantic blackberries that the manager said I could go pick. Wow! Sweet, delicious and easy to pick.
The road trip was such a freeing experience. I hadn’t been away from my farm on my own for a long while. I listened to regular radio music, sometimes the Christian stations to hear what they had to say, cruising down beautiful sideroads. Road AA, local Missouri roads are alphabetized, suddenly threw me into state of confusion. The curvy, winding road gave me the visual sensation that I was driving in Vermont, a state I lived in long ago. Pasture, trees, rivers, creeks. What an unexpected, lovely gift.
You can’t ever go wrong doing a Bob Leonard.
Thanks. Denise. What a joy!!