7/13/2015
The summer season was very deceptive. Of course my days had been humid but I had missed the sun on many days. Perhaps it was a good thing for me. At least I didn’t need to worry as much about being sunburnt.
The country roads were so quiet I could hear my heartbeat. I felt my lungs pumping the oxygen in and out of my body. My respiratory system had always disliked humidity and the damp air had me struggling for my breath. I focused my energies into my footsteps and found a good rhythm. The occasional dog came running out from nowhere but they were all bark and no bite. The highlight of the day came when Crystal and I stopped at a library in the small town of Forest. Their entranceway contained many super heroes which greeted the guests. The smell of paper lingered in the air as we sifted through the used books. Crystal and I filled a grocery bag full of reading material for only a dollar.
I had wanted to reach the town of Ada but instead we stopped at Dunkirk. A little church in the small town was to be our resting spot for the evening. I rubbed my feet and thought about how nice it would be to have a new pair of shoes. I hadn’t put a fresh pair on in recent memory. My disintegrating footwear was the bane of my existence. But I didn’t complain. I just rested my body and recharged my mind. Focus was key.
The next day I had a short run to the town of Ada. This was the home of the NFL football. It was the place every super bowl football was manufactured. I had fond memories of the place because a wonderful couple had put me up in their home there many years ago. When I ran past their house I thought of how far our foundation had gone since that time. The corn fields didn’t disappear. I might have passed a couple of soy plants but the landscape remained predictable.
I found it strange that on this journey I had been able to recall the geography and landmarks of places I had run through before. My travels had taken me to so many places but the scents in the air and the sights on the ground could always take me back in time.
As I entered Lima, I ran past the Johnny Appleseed Park. The reason I remembered this landmark was because Johnny Appleseed was one of my favorite figures as a child. The Courtyard Marriott in Lima was not far from there. They were our benefactors for the evening. Olive Garden restaurant which was right across the street also helped us on our way with two orders of ravioli, two salads, and a side of veggies.
We enjoyed our food in our room and I put up my tired feet. I thought about one of my characters in the book “Where did the Floufooze Go?” It was the town where he jumped off the page and into my lap. The person who sewed him together lived in the town and I was excited to meet up with my friend Lisa.
Leave a reply