4 o’clock Central Time Monday afternoon zonked from fatigue in the Effingham, IL Best Western—channel surfing thru cop shows & reality TV—too tired to write—running on fumes along the Missouri River—Kansas City—St Louis—miles of silos & strip malls & white frame farmhouses & pro-life billboards & Hooters restaurants along I-70—
running on fumes along I-70 past the deciduous trees in Illinois—a morning following route 2 past the Iowa wetlands along the Missouri River—I-29 past Mound City home to the great Mound City Blowers kazoo band but where you can’t get an espresso drink outside McDonalds—I turned down that deal—
running on fumes—remnants—memory—time is our shared environment & all road trips are time travel simultaneously into the past/future/present—all the verb tenses eliding into a shared expression—speaking in tongues in verbs only where past perfect & future imperfect become the same damned thing—
what does it mean to say: “I’d like to go home?” what does it mean to say “I’m homesick?” what does it mean to say “take me home?”—
the future & past & present hurtling in multi-dimensions down the highway
Pic shows the old State Theater, Mound City, MO
Blog news note: Eberle's Adams County Makes the News post will be up tomorrow, but I'm not sure how the road trip updates will be for the next few days; will be visiting friends: B.N. & her husband Yaakov—Yay! so will be busy & also may not have a very good internet connection. I'll be updating if/when I can!
Oh, & I'm much refreshed & re-energized this morning!
I'm glad to see that you are feeling refreshed, John. I know that middle-of-a-road-trip-what-have-I-got-myself-into? feeling very well. Never fear, though -- the sight of your old friends will put the colour back in your landscape. Bon voyage.
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ReplyDeleteDid I finally figure this posting thing out? I feel like I'm on a road trip now with your wonderful verbal picture. Drive safe and have a wonderful adventure, John!
ReplyDeleteI'd never thought of a road trip as past/present/future at the same time, but it's true.
ReplyDeleteAnd apologies for the lack of "espresso" here in the Midwest. Ask for "road tar" next time. That's the last cup in the pot that wasn't turned off when it got low. Or do what those of us do who've seen more of the world than the local yokels...travel with your own mini coffee maker.
I came here from Willow Manor, btw.
"thru cop shows & reality TV—too tired to write"
ReplyDeleteYou've captured the feeling; when I can't fall asleep but am too tired to read or write or think much, so clicking repeatedly on the remote and staring ahead fills in for a little while...
all the verb tenses eliding into a shared expression
This is lovely.
Hi Sandra, Michelle, JamaGenie & HKatz:
ReplyDeleteSandra: So good to see you! I know you know from road trips! Having a wonderful time.
Michelle: Thanks! Hope to see you & Tomm & Isaac once I get back!
JamaGenie: It really had struck me how that's true this time around; I think I sensed it in the past but it was kind of on the fringe of consciousness. So glad you came over from Willow's & decided to follow along!
HKatz: Exactly! Gratified to see people get the verb tense thing!