Oct 23, 2003

October 23

Weekly update
This week.. I traveled from Tulsa, Ok to Hereford, Texas (Hereford for the steers that live there... for awhile) over to Canyon, Texas on to Childress, Texas, up to Elk City, Oklahoma and then home. Then today, I drove up to Bartlesville, Oklahoma.

I am sure that these places sound so small and on the surface they may seem to have no charm or anything special at all.. however, I found some peace in these towns.

You can't forget Hereford, because it is a cattle town and the smell of alfalfa and steers... well it sticks with you. The owner of the hotel that I visited, had a big bronco riding championship belt buckle on and two of the guys he was working with, were wearing white cowboy hats. Throughout the day he was checking the internet on his wireless laptop for cattle futures and to see if he was any richer that day. He and his staff were very friendly and polite. I enjoyed meeting them and will like working with such down home people. I was surprised to be yelled at the next morning by a young General Manager that wasn't happy with a few things that had happened at her property and since I was there.. I got to be the one that she unloaded her frustrations on. By lunch, everything was fine and we had a nice meal at a local soda shop... where she knew everyone and everyone knew her.. she pretended that I was her mystery date so the town would talk about her. That same day, I drove about 200 miles to Childress.. a small train stop along the Texas Panhandle. It was a flat and non descript drive, but in it's way.. the land was beautiful. I met with the owner and General Manager of this property until about 8pm. Then I made my way up to Elk City, Oklahoma.

I wasn't ready for the night driving.. and the fear that would come over me next.

The sun was going down... and I had to drive about 65 miles on Highway 83... straight up from Childress to Highway 40... the numbers aren't important, unless you have been there.. all you need to know is that it is Flat and as the sun set.. I felt as if I wasn't on land anymore.. it felt as if I was in the middle of a very calm ocean. The road in front of me went off into the horizon, seemingly never ending. The sunset and the fear set in. At times, the road wasn't as flat and the lines in front of me would disappear and at one point I saw lights out in the distance, only to realize that they were stars. I stopped the car in what really was.. the middle of nowhere.. not the edge of nowhere.. I was smack dab in the middle... there were no radio stations to be found.. not even on the old AM radio. I stopped to look up at the Milky Way. I hadn't seen the milky way for so long that I thought it was a cloud at first. I saw stars all the way down to the ground, it made me dizzy.

Eventually, I arrived at the big Highway 40 road and made my way to Elk City, where I was greeted with friendly smiles and a handshake.. welcome.

I felt humbled by that sky.. so small was I, that night. My troubles seemed small too.

Today, I visited Bartlesville, Oklahoma and I purposely arrived about an hour early. I had been to there once before, about 10 years ago. The town had grown and I stopped by to see the Price Tower that was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. It reminded me of Alex.. and how much he loves this architect and how excited he would be to see this building. Of course, every time I see a train, I remember Alex and when I am alone in the car.. I speak out..."Look Alex... 4 engines.. all BNSF!!" pretending that he is right there with me, or that he can hear me.

I called the boys teachers from the Tower and was lucky enough to speak to Andy's.. she said that she is passing on my letters to him and he likes them... I smiled and we set up an appointment for me to go over Andy's report card next week, via phone.

Now, it is about 5:25pm and I will stop working for the day.. start up again tomorrow, working out of the house for the day.

Ciao!

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