All the Kid Remembers About the Drive is the Pets I’m a horrible mother. I always knew that I wasn’t maternal, and I was right. This is evidenced by my continual failing of my child. When he was 5-6 years-old, he wanted a second mom. Sorry, kid, not gonna happen. He just wanted to keep up with the Joneses anyway. He had a friend with two moms and thought it was cool. The following year, he wanted a sibling – a brother specifically, one year younger so that he could be the big brother. But again, wasn’t gonna happen. So, he acquiesced on his stance against me getting a boyfriend – I was now allowed to, but again, only if it brought him a sibling, specifically a brother. Has hell frozen over? Lastly, he settled on wanting a pet. At first, he wanted a dog. Then he had a taste of how much work it would be to take care of one. I stood firm that I wasn’t going to care for the dog, so he switched to a cat. “Mama, please, just a kitty,” he pleads. I’m only mostly cold-hearted, but I agree a pet might be nice. Our place in California, though, was just too small and now that we’re moving… we’re not allowed pets. "How could you get a place that won't allow pets?!" Mom has failed her child yet again! So, when The Quid looks back at this time – this summer of change and transition, a time many have commented as “once in a lifetime”, “a great adventure”, “fun and exciting”, “life changing”, after 2,400 miles, nine states, and various sites seen along the way, experiences and feelings had, he’s going to remember the cat and dogs we met as the highlight of our drive to Georgia. The reaffirmation of current failings as a parent began in Tucson. We arrived at my friend’s house and The Quid was immediately taken with the golden doodle, Chestnut, who my friend described as “having no boundaries.” Perfect! My kid is mostly lacking in boundaries, too. Or is that a filter? Maybe he lacks a filter. The Quid loved having a fur-buddy to nuzzle him, lick him, and lay around in the heat with him. And when we were out for brunch, my kiddo felt like the big dog brother by “disciplining” – barking commands – at Chestnut even if Chestnut wasn’t doing anything meriting discipline. “Mom, can’t we bring Chestnut with us?” "Hon, I think Chestnut needs a break." The Quid slept late the next day – he’d been fighting his first cold in two years, and long-distance travel isn’t easy on anyone. He slept and slept and slept. My friend’s pets earned their kibble and treats by rotating as his sleep-time snuggle buddies. So much “aaaaaaahhhhhhh” – touching, sentimental was happening that I was sure I was going to hurl. But it really was cute. My animal-loving co-pilot had a hard time saying good-bye to my friend’s gang of furballs. Luckily, though, I was able to dangle another pet-carrot in front to get him through the next drive. Another dog, the husky, Dakota! The Quid starts off slowly with animals, but then, after a few cautious seconds, dives right in, face first, in the fur, into petting, into loving but complaining about being licked. And so it was with Dakota. He loved her two different colored eyes, her hair instead of fur – it’s more hypoallergenic, and that she’s a little pudgy – there’s more of her to love. Half-laying on Dakota, “Mama, can he have a husky? Pppplllleeeeeaaaaassseee. Look how easy she is to take care of, and no allergies.” But again, to pet or not to pet is currently out of my hands. I love that he loves animals, though. It shows that he’s kind, caring, and likely not a psychopath! Now back to how the Quid might remember the long drive of 2021: favorite place visited – Monterey Bay Aquarium; favorite city: New Orleans, (also, best architecture); best part of the trip: it’s all about the pets! Are we there yet??? When we set out on our great adventure across the American South, I was almost excited to drive through New Mexico. It may not sound like me – New Mexico, but I’ve never been there and wanted to check it out. Santa Fe, Truth and Consequences, Roswell, Las Cruces, Carlsbad Caverns. “Surely, we can check out somewhere new on our way to Texas,” I thought. Ha! Joke’s on me. I thought wrong! I looked at the route to my next stop in Belton, TX. I considered how much I might consider diverging from it to see “cool stuff”. I looked at projected drive and arrival times to potential spots of interest. BUT... we’d taken our time getting on the road out of Tucson, though. And it was Sunday – no different than any other day for me, but not so for many goods and service providers like shops, museums, and protected parks. In short, I ran up against a bunch of closed, closed, closing. I was S-O-L on checking out almost any sight of significance other than freeway landscaping – SHIT! I know; I should have planned more, and normally I would have, but the move came up suddenly-ish, so I had to make that happen first – plan the drive second. And what fun are plans? Where’s the spontaneity? Right? We did drive into Las Cruces to buy cold medicine and a thermometer. And in doing so we crossed the Rio Grande – not what I imagined. It must be bigger in Texas. Everything’s bigger in Texas. Since I have absolutely no geographical orientation to the state and where its cities of renown are in relation to well, anything or anywhere, I was quite shocked to almost immediately roll up on El Paso after leaving New Mexico. Well, hello there, El Paso! And it seemed to be divided by the freeway – and probably a border crossing from Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. “Look, Quid," while pointing from side to side, "the U.S., Mexico, U.S., Mexico. Gray, bright colors, gray, bright colors.” Since I felt like I hadn’t driven far enough for the day, we ventured “deeper” into Texas, but maybe I should have stopped once it got dark. Things got really confusing for me in the dark. Or I’m just easily confused. The sun was long tucked in for the night. The traffic slowed and merged to one lane for trucks to be weighed and everyone else in another. Simple enough. We slowed some more. Not much farther now; the GPS says I’m only a couple miles from the target stop, Sierra Blanca – a little hotel there got a nice review online… Then suddenly, we’re hit with bright flood lights, guards, and I see guns. Shit, did we accidentally cross into Mexico? I roll up to the patrol hoping to holy hell I hadn’t accidentally done something wrong. Don’t wanna get shot. Thankfully, instead, I enjoyed some lovely banter with Border Patrol, confirmed that we had not crossed into Mexico but that it was closer than I thought, and they suggested maybe we should stay the night in Van Horn instead of Sierra Blanca.
The next day’s drive to Belton seemed longer and harder. There were some cool nature visuals here and there, but the freeway landscape was mostly mono – mono-chromatic, mono-tonous. Also, the freeway was such, at least for the many hours that I was on it, that if I missed an exit, I couldn’t just get off and turn around at the next exit. There weren’t overpasses or ways to get to the other side of the freeway to turn around. And, of course, The Quid decided he needed the restroom five miles after we’d passed the last rest stop before an upcoming freeway change, which meant getting him to the closest restroom meant rerouting my drive. GPS for the win, despite my irritation. And did I mention the monotonous views. Thankfully, as we came within a couple hours of Belton, the scenery changed a bit, but too late, the damage was done. “Mom, what’re you doing?” The Quid shouts from the back seat as I pull over, get out, and start pace in front of some farm’s fence. “Let’s go!” “Hold on a minute! I need air, to move around.” Big-ass truck drives by and stares at weird Californian taking a constitutional along the road. Just an hour or so more to go. “Mama. Ma-ma. MAAAMMAAA!” “I’m coming! I just want to get there in one piece.” Back behind the wheel, finally, signs for Fort Hood. Then Killeen. And then, BELTON! YAY! YIPPEE! I never knew I’d be so excited to arrive somewhere in Texas. We’re here! And thankfully, so was my friend, home from work, attending her pets, and ready to hit the store for some wine. You know what she grabbed - 19 Crimes wine, Snoop Dogg edition. Snoop Dogg, the patron saint of long-ass drives. The Quid blew my friend and I off in preference of her dogs and cat leaving us to able to unwind, take a deep breath, sip wine, and catch up. We’d met when I first arrived in Germany and we’ve managed to get together a couple of times since despite both of us, mostly her, bouncing between a few more countries and states since then. She likes that we can reach out randomly, no matter where the country or state, and we can pick up where we last left off like no time has passed. I do, too! And I totally appreciate her opening her doors for me and the tot, maybe on short notice – although, I swear we had something solidly arranged because I had her impending flight to Germany in my head since I always seem to be in her neck of the woods days or hours before she has a flight to Germany. It’s my thing. After a couple of days recharging, it was time to make a run for the border – between Texas and Louisiana.
“Mom, are we STILL in Texas?” “Five more hours.” But thankfully, along the way was another friend – this one dating back to college – she and her husband both. I’m so happy to have more people to visit! Yippee! The Quid and I rolled into Cypress outside of Houston in time for lunch. After circling my friend’s street a few times like we were casing the place, I finally spotted the California plates, plates I swear she’s had since college, and safely deemed we were in the place. The Quid walks into her, plunks down with the pet of this palace, ignoring us, and my friend catch up – so where were we – almost 20-years-ago. We’ve talked since, of course, but well, life has taken us all down many paths, which apparently are now crossing in person decades later as newly minted Californians-in-Residence in our new states. I met her kids who were in utero or not yet existing when last my friend and I got together in person. They’re now adults or nearly there, in school, at work, doing arty things. And my little spud still rolls around on the floor with their dog, a ball of fur, pizza, and unknown potential. My friend’s almost “free”, and I’ll be a grandma before my kid dons a high school cap and gown. Sigh. This was a quick visit, though, as The Quid and I had to continue on our way, because, yep, there’s still more Texas. “We should meet up in New Orleans,” she said. She’s smart, that lady. What a great idea. No wonder we’re friends! Now back in the car - I’m so F#^%&-ing done with driving. I definitely echo The Quid when I scream, “Are we there yet?” |
AuthorGreat transitioner & media operative seeking a position as a script coordinator, writers' room assistant, or staff writer with a TV drama. I'm also open to related jobs with networks and production companies. Landing an agent would be awesome. Archives
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