The next major trip I remember occurred in 1998.
As a boy, I would help my mom and Godparents navigate to various destinations. While I enjoyed reading the maps, which were like a key to a portal that would reveal some mysterious and unknown land, it would be the various experiences and character that the road offered (physical landscapes and interaction with locals) that would peak my interest. Not only did they take provide me with vivid live action pictures of the area I traversed, but it enabled me to see firsthand what "from sea to shining sea" truly meant. One of the first places I remember vividly was a trip to North Carolina in 1998.
We started in New York and rolled down New Jersey in short order then my Godfather decided to take various scenic routes. I recall driving all the way down Maryland to Salisbury via the Ocean Highway (gorgeous scenery of the Atlantic to the due East) and then hitting the dreaded interstate before cruising onto U.S. 17.
For me the journey magnified once we rolled down U.S. 17 from Virginia Beach to the Carolina state line. To my right, for the first time in my life I saw tobacco and rice fields. It provided vivid thoughts of what life must have been like from the Colonial era to the War Between the States. As I traveled past these historic crops, I saw a blue bird diner. I did not know what a blue bird diner really was. Yes, I knew it served food, but wondered what it would be like to eat at one. However, after remembering watching various travel programs and the Andy Griffin Show, I figured there was more than meets the stomach. So, I decided to try something new (that and the fact everyone in the car were hungry). Through conversing with the waitress and a couple of locals, I came away with two understandings. First, that the locals were very nice, especially considering my company was mixed in races and that this region once enslaved many African-Americans. Secondly, that a blue bird diner was just like going into a pizzeria in Brooklyn, New York. You would stop inside , grab a piece of the local flavor, converse in the weather conditions and life in general, then move onto the next destination.
This was my third trip to the South, as I had gone to Williamsburg, Virginia twice before. Nevertheless, this trip stands out for a few reasons. One, it showed me that some still cling to the Confederate Flag. Despite the fact that I respect those who fly it in memory of relatives that fought for the "Cause", it nonetheless provided discomfort to some of my entourage. One afternoon, we drove to a cafe to eat and the Stars and Bars hung proudly on the wall and my Godfather who is African-American understandably did not feel comfortable, so we ate elsewhere. Another thing I remember is the heat and humidity. As we visited the National Cemetary in New Bern (honoring Union soldiers who died at te Battle of New Bern, Spanish-American War, and World War I and II veterans) , we were treated with featherweight fans, the kinds you use as if you were being fed grapes (depending on your gender) by attractive women or men. For the life of reilly I still do not know what good they did because with the humidity it was 115 degrees!
One my most proud moments occurred on this excursion. It took place on a Saturday afternoon at a cabin type resort in New Bern. My mom , sister and Godmother were off speaking with other ladies, while my Godfather and I coalesced to battle a couple of gentlemen from Ohio in horse shoes. That afternoon, even though we were surrounded by pine trees left and right, the sun beat down on us without mercy; forcing us to divulge in gallons of soda pop, lemonade and water. As we hydrated and garnered enough energy, we began pitching wool. Being from the New York City, I was not apt at throwing horseshoes, but that day some kind of spirit came over me. After a couple of turns, I got into such a grove that I pitched them boys out of their sockets. Afterwards, the father-son team asked "are you a hustler?" I gleefully replied, "no, it was just about concentrating and letting go." A philosophy I would apply in future travels and journeys.
No comments:
Post a Comment