2002-08-12 : Blue Highways and How I miss August Sweet Corn in Central Illinois
Did I ever mention that when I eat a wheat roll I Must, I mean MUST split it in half and devour each half with exactly one pat of butter. Yes, it is fatty and artery clogging, but it saves my sanity. Butter is a cure-all for sadness. I love butter. I cannot eat margarine now. It just LACKS in a major way. I am reading "Blue Highways..A Journey Into America" by William Least Heat Moon. It makes me want to quit my job, not pay rent, take supplies, the cats and Jason and a reliable car and just go touring the backhome/backroads/backwoods part of the US (esp. I would love to visit Mississipi, Louisiana, Tennesse, Kentucky, Georgia, maybe even Texas and Oklahoma). I want to sleep in a tent and be dirty for as long I will need to. Live off of canned Dinty Moore Stew cooked over a bunson (sp?) burner. Eat at bbq JOINTS and hole-in-the wall mom-n-pop restaurants where they serve Pie and more Pie. Where I can drink buttermilk and taste ochra. Reading this book makes me miss the midwest. THe flat roads that lead to anywhere, everywhere, nowhere. The August corn so high that it blocks the intersections (dangerous) out on the country road. The sound of locusts and crickets. I miss see farmers in John Deere hats taking grain and such to the elevators. I miss old men moving slowly down a dirt road, spitting chew, their Bojac Seed Corn hats pushed low over the eyes. They eat "supper" at noon. Hamburgers on not buns, but squishy white bread. Always pickles on the table and sliced tomatoes. jello. Powered Country Time Lemonade being sifted into a purple metallic cup from the 50s (how I loved Grandma Helen's metallic cup collection)..that tangy, metallic tasting fake lemonade. Vendor the dog. ok..I'm off on a tangent. I miss the simplicity and nature-rooted (and nature rotted) midwest. Central Illinois. Ivesdale, Tolono, Pesotum, Sadorus, Bement. All those places where there are no hipsters or massive cell phone usage or any high-end grocery stores like Larry's, but just the IGA down the street. I'm fantasizing though because a week of smalltown midwest living would drive me crazy!! I wonder how mom is feeling right about now in Hawaii..I can't wait to visit..only about 2 1/2 weeks until I fly to the bIG iSLAND. Things feel much better between Jason and I..I don't know what was happening last week, but this invisible wall is now broken and we are back to our selves and I think that is very good. There is hope for us afterall!! I can't get that Who song "The Kids are Alright" stuck outta my head. But hey, I'm not complaining. The song is great!! Anyways...I"m off to do some mockery of work!!