Day Four
Clinton, Mississippi
Shelter-in-place is a terrifying concept when the place you would most like to shelter is 1,507 miles away.
We are five miles from Jackson, Mississippi, the capital. State capitols, the buildings not the cites, fascinate me so in normal times we’d drive over there tomorrow and and take a self-guided tour. Not this time.
These are not normal times.
We will continue to dash east towards North Carolina tomorrow to visit with close family members. But as we approached Dallas today from the West Texas oil fields, the Nissan began to pull to the left, in this case north. It seemed the car was quietly telling us:
“Go north to Memphis, Nashville and straight onto Boston.”
Our greatest fear is not that we will get the virus. We can and are protecting ourselves from that, washing hands, wearing gloves, washing gloved hands etc. Our greatest fear is that we will not get home because domestic travel will be curtailed. We fear being forced to shelter in place far from home and family. This fear was amplified this afternoon when we read that six San Fransisco counties had ordered everyone to stay home. “Go home and stay home, “ seven million Californians were told.
For us home is far away.
We knew there was a risk when we left California. This journey began as an opportunity, a nervous, unplanned adventure forced upon us by circumstances we could not imagine when we flew into Los Angeles. It has become a nervous adventure with a serious edge.
So we are driving faster and traveling further each day. We hope to be with family in NC by midday Wednesday and in Boston by Friday. No more hiking and tennis. Hopefully we will not have to skirt blockades around New York.
Yesterday I promised to keep this light. Well I blew that today, Sorry readers. But our day was not consumed by fear. There was humor and light in our day.
This morning we listened to the Tom Hanks profile on the New York Times podcast: “The Daily.” Tom and his wife have the virus and are quarantined in Australia. The podcast is not about the virus, it is a 20 minute profile of a nice guy, a normal guy who happens to be famous. It was up lifting, worth a listen.
Some quick thoughts!
We gloved up and shopped at a local Kroegers in Clinton. We had three bags at the store and just two when we got back to our hotel. I guess I left the bag with our dinner on the roof of the car. Dinner was lost.
Hoarding persists!
We asked a young clerk in the Kroeger’s: “Do you have any water? A look of concern spread across his face. “No. We emptied two pallets onto the shelves early this morning, opened at 6 am and they were all gone at seven.”
The paper products aisle was empty.
Trucks rule Texas and Louisiana highways. So do lawyers, at least lawyers on billboards. Sometimes they meet. Literally! This was typical: “Injured by a big truck. Call Jim Adler.”
Electronic Louisiana signs warn: “Keep your hands clean and your eyes on the road.”
Finally, my billboard of the day. Huge black lettering on a yellow background that read simply:
“ETERNITY”
Amen
Be safe!
Clinton, Mississippi
Shelter-in-place is a terrifying concept when the place you would most like to shelter is 1,507 miles away.
We are five miles from Jackson, Mississippi, the capital. State capitols, the buildings not the cites, fascinate me so in normal times we’d drive over there tomorrow and and take a self-guided tour. Not this time.
These are not normal times.
We will continue to dash east towards North Carolina tomorrow to visit with close family members. But as we approached Dallas today from the West Texas oil fields, the Nissan began to pull to the left, in this case north. It seemed the car was quietly telling us:
“Go north to Memphis, Nashville and straight onto Boston.”
Our greatest fear is not that we will get the virus. We can and are protecting ourselves from that, washing hands, wearing gloves, washing gloved hands etc. Our greatest fear is that we will not get home because domestic travel will be curtailed. We fear being forced to shelter in place far from home and family. This fear was amplified this afternoon when we read that six San Fransisco counties had ordered everyone to stay home. “Go home and stay home, “ seven million Californians were told.
For us home is far away.
We knew there was a risk when we left California. This journey began as an opportunity, a nervous, unplanned adventure forced upon us by circumstances we could not imagine when we flew into Los Angeles. It has become a nervous adventure with a serious edge.
So we are driving faster and traveling further each day. We hope to be with family in NC by midday Wednesday and in Boston by Friday. No more hiking and tennis. Hopefully we will not have to skirt blockades around New York.
Yesterday I promised to keep this light. Well I blew that today, Sorry readers. But our day was not consumed by fear. There was humor and light in our day.
This morning we listened to the Tom Hanks profile on the New York Times podcast: “The Daily.” Tom and his wife have the virus and are quarantined in Australia. The podcast is not about the virus, it is a 20 minute profile of a nice guy, a normal guy who happens to be famous. It was up lifting, worth a listen.
Some quick thoughts!
We gloved up and shopped at a local Kroegers in Clinton. We had three bags at the store and just two when we got back to our hotel. I guess I left the bag with our dinner on the roof of the car. Dinner was lost.
Hoarding persists!
We asked a young clerk in the Kroeger’s: “Do you have any water? A look of concern spread across his face. “No. We emptied two pallets onto the shelves early this morning, opened at 6 am and they were all gone at seven.”
The paper products aisle was empty.
Trucks rule Texas and Louisiana highways. So do lawyers, at least lawyers on billboards. Sometimes they meet. Literally! This was typical: “Injured by a big truck. Call Jim Adler.”
Electronic Louisiana signs warn: “Keep your hands clean and your eyes on the road.”
Finally, my billboard of the day. Huge black lettering on a yellow background that read simply:
“ETERNITY”
Amen
Be safe!
All caught up now! Safe travels to NC and make sure to honk and wave as you drive by Philly! Give Kate our best.
ReplyDeleteIf you're driving by during a meal time you could do a quick pull off at exit 23 on 95 and I'll deliver a couple of cheesesteaks for you to enjoy.
Keep rockin the road and writing.
ReplyDelete