The Popular Aviation magazines were kept hidden in the barn under an old feed sack. This way, I could tinker privately with the lawn mower in my quest to turn it into an airplane like those pictured in the back of the magazines. Someday, I was going to fly out of Oakland, Oregon. Any...way...I...could.I guess I've always had the wanderlust, or, it has had me.
I did eventually fly out of Oregon, not in my own homebuilt Ultralight, but in the family car. The rest of them soon tired of California and moved back to Oregon, but I continued on, exploring San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, London, Berlin, Madrid and Rome.
Yet now, for the first time, the desire to "get away" is taking me home rather than further from it.
From June 23rd through the end of July 2010, I will be traveling up the California Coast to my hometown in Oregon pulling my 1957 Airfloat travel trailer, Lucy. I'll be surfing along the way in spots like Morro Bay, Pacifica, and Santa Cruz, but the main point of the trip is to reconnect with my family, whom I usually see briefly only at Christmas, and also to research an event that changed our hometown, my family and me forever.
The death of my best freind, Kelli, at the hands of a serial killer made me question at fifteen what it meant to be female, the very nature of men, good or evil?, what community means, and whether I could have saved her.
I have spent my life trying to save her.
First, there was my friend B. I drove from Los Angeles to San Diego to protect her when she asked her boyfriend to move out. A few hours later, he had me pinned to the floor with his hands around my throat, squeezing until I passed out. A's boyfriend was slightly less bold. He was only vaguely menacing until he shot himself in the head. When that wasn't enough, I found a violent man of my own, who I would save with only the force of my own true love.
Steinbeck says "We find after years of struggle that we do not take a trip; a trip takes us." I'm ready to take my trip. Perhaps I'll never find peace, but maybe I can finally do a little to save myself.
At the very least, it will make a good story.
3 comments:
Ooo that reminds me! Have you read Steinbeck's Travels with Charley? You probably have! He takes off from Maine cross country with his dog in a trailer to soak up the real America. So much fun to read, and in that great Steinbeck narrative style.
Of course you would recognize the reference intelligent lady!
Travels With Charley is my current bedtime book (thus the quote), but I've only read the first chapter. If only I could write like that, huh? Maybe some of it will rub off.
Chryss
P.S. Thanks so much for the birthday cupcakes and book. So very thoughtful and special!
Ha ha!! John and I took Cannery Row with us when we went up to Monterey. There's a Steinbeck for every occasion :D!!
So happy to be able to hang with you, always a treat.
xo
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