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Anyone attentive to the new popular poetry sees the antithesis--the death of the text. American culture conditioned by electronic media and a celebrity culture based on personalities has given birth to a new kind of author, the amplified bard ”
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© 2009 Created by Frank Rose on Ning. Create a Ning Network!
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Warm regards
Frank
Our directions said to turn off at exit 106, and we were so happy when we saw exit 100. We kept looking, but never found 106. We got off the interstate and back-tracked. We stopped and asked some people. We were shocked to find out we had at least two and half more hours of driving yet to do. We needed the 106 after Tuscalusca. I made a mistake deciding to leave at 10:00 at night. We were both tired and the drive was unbelievably long. Once I noticed Melissa swerving ahead of me. When I called her, she said she had fallen asleep. We got off the main drag and tried to find a quiet place to take a power nap. We pulled into one area, but saw people walking out of their house, so Melissa couldn't manage to take a nap. We decided to get a drink and continue on. During the ride we called each other a lot, sometimes to discuss what was ahead, or to just check on each other. Melissa was the navigator and I followed her lead. Often it was hard to keep other cars from getting in between us, but we managed to stay together. Later in the trip I started fading. I had to pull over and get a Diet Pepsi from the ice chest to get a caffeine fix. I also used the ice to rub on my face and neck. Sometime later, on the road to a soft bed, we decided we needed to try again to get a short nap. We pulled into a busy place this time, but still no success. We bought two big energy drinks (for each of us) and got back into our cars. The last couple of hours of the ride were a total blur to me. I started pinching my leg and slapping my face. I kept using the ice and praying we would make it. When we finally pulled into the motel parking lot, I was too tired to cry. We had to get the dogs walked and fed. Melissa had to change her room to non-smoking and then at last, we could go to bed. I threw myself down on the bed. I was dirty and needed a shower, but I just didn't have the strength. I put Buster on Honey's bed, and let Honey sleep with me. I figured the dog was as dirty as I was. I lay down with all my clothes on and closed my eyes. I woke up eleven hours later grateful (despite the big cockroach and pubic hairs) to be in a room and not on the road.
After resting one night in Birmingham, Alabama, we headed for Lagrange, Georgia; where we would meet up with my two sisters and other family members. The rest of our time in Georgia, we tried to stay informed as to when we could return. My family left before my daughter and me because they had a place with power.
At last the day came to head for home. We felt the drive would go smoothly because many evacuees had already returned. We had a couple of pit stops along the way, but made really good time. When we got on I-10 headed for New Orleans, I didn't feel the need to stay right behind Melissa. I called her and said I would meet her at her house to deliver Buster. As I crossed the state line I honked my horn several times as a salute to coming home. One minute later I felt the car move strangely. Something was very wrong. A few seconds later I realized I had a flat tire. I called Melissa who was way ahead of me. I was scared because I don't like getting out of the car on the side of the road and I didn't know how to change the flat. I told her I would call my husband. He told me to call road assistance, but I knew that might take hours. I called Melissa and she reminded me that I had Fix-A-Flat in the trunk. I got out (so scared that my hands were shaking) and opened the trunk. As I reached for the can I realized something was biting my foot. I had stepped into an ant pile and as I looked big red ants were covering and biting my foot. I started to cry as I batted them away and bent to insert the Fix-A-Flat. Cars were zooming by and some were honking as I filled the tire. The directions said to roll slowly on it immediately after insertion. I did this, but when I got out to check, the tire was still flat. Just as I was looking for the road assistance number, a tow truck pulled up in front of me.
A man in his fifties and a younger man walked over to my car. The young one asked if I needed help. I told them the problem and they changed the tire. The Fix-A-Flat didn't work because the whole side of the tire was blown out. The tire also had a large nail in it. I gave them $35.00 and a 12 pack of Diet Pepsi. I was so grateful I wanted to cry, (I'm talking about loud, heaving, sobbing crying), but held it in. I thanked God for helping me and again got into my car. The older man said to drive no faster than 50, so it took a while to get home. Yet I was so happy to be moving I didn't care at all. I put my flasher on and made my way to my house. I was safe and so were my family and my city. I was home at last!!
Rose
September 6, 2008
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