Mondo Bungle

Ight let's see what I can do here

July 12

After falling into a state of microsleep, dozens of times, the sun was nearing full force and brightness. I was still very tired, but gathered my things to start another day of travel (at least I had hoped). I left the park and walked to a public library I had seen yesterday. Closed today. So I walked more, back the way I came into town, towards the area where I was dropped off. The heat rose as time passed. My overly heavy packing job always taking it's toll, live and learn though I guess, none of it I wanted to part with. When I made it back to where I had started, I followed some signs I'd seen leading the way to a community college. I walked maybe fifteen minutes but didn’t find it, instead I made my way to another park. A church picnic was being held, food cooking and boring religious music playing over the sound system they’d set up. I set my stuff down on a table, out of the way of the gathering. I sat here, what else to do? Got up and walked around the park when one of the picnickers called to me. “Won’t you come over and have some food?” Bewildered, I looked behind me to see no one, pointed at myself for a “Who, me?” signal. “Yes, come on over, lunch is almost ready.” Why not, I guess.

I walked over to join the gathering. The woman who’d called me explained the church they were part of, and offered me some of the lunch that was being prepared. “Sure, I’ll stay. Don’t really have any other things to do.” She smiled.

“Why don’t you get to know some of the people here?” I nodded, although I didn’t really plan on following through with that. Ever so shy, I am, could never start conversations on my own, especially with strangers. Maybe that could change on this journey. I stumbled around like a silly mime, not saying anything, surely not fitting in. This is when people would begin introducing themselves to me. Along came a young man with a thick accent. “Hey, where are you coming from?” He said.

“Um… where?” I replied, confused. He said he’d seen me walk in with my bags. “Oh yeah, right now I’m just coming from Lovelock.”

“What’s your destination?”

“I’m not sure right now.”

“Oh I see, well have you been traveling long?”

I shook my head. “Not really, I left Reno like three days ago, something like that. Only just starting.” He told me he was born in Australia and had done much traveling back there. I asked how it was as that’d always been a point of interest for me.

“Hot. Dry.” He laughed, I grinned. “It’s a lot of the same for long stretches, but it’s still quite nice. Hey, why don’t you sit over here with some of my friends?” He led me to a circle of more young men and we all exchanged introductions. More heavy accents, though all different, not just Australian. They talked about this and that, I mostly remained silent.

I stood up now. “I’m gonna get myself some of that watermelon.” I said to the man I’d met first (names will escape me). I couldn’t refuse a good slice of watermelon. After eating some, the woman who’d invited me came over with her husband to introduce to me. He had a raw face, and wounded nose.

“This is Loren, he just got into Elko yesterday. He’s traveling around right now, he says.” Said wife to husband. He extended his hand for a shake, it was limp, awkward.

“So, you’re a vagrant are ya?”

“I guess.”

“Where are headed?”

“Don’t know. Came from California which is about as west as you can get, guess I’ll go east.”

“So you don’t have a plan?” It was hard to decide if the man’s tone was pro or con, in regards to myself, my trek.

“Uh, not right now.” I said.

“It’s pretty stupid heading out into uncharted territory with no idea of what you’re doing.”

I shrugged, “Yep, I guess it is.”

He turned around now, but kept an odd expression directed at me. “Food’s ready everyone. Come get a plate!” I heard from behind. So I’d fix myself a plate, but I waited for everyone else who was eating to go before me. Once I had my chance, I gathered a hamburger, some baked beans, potato salad, more watermelon, some pasta salad, and a small paper cup of lemonade. Looking around for a place to sit, I chose an unoccupied table in a gazebo. Unoccupied for a second, at least. The wife and husband came to accompany me, this time bringing their daughter.

We conversed, I spoke scarcely. Mostly listening to the husband and what he had to say about stuff like what I’m doing. The usual, “It’s not as easy as it used to be… Be careful about the law… Have a good judge of character…” I could never pick up on this guy’s… “whole thing”. He was polite and informative enough, but rubbed me ever so slightly the wrong way, nothing to give me a negative opinion. Maybe it was just his face. Whether smile or scowl, pleasant or indifferent, it had a same look to it. not that he was expressionless, just an underlying demeanor that seemed unchanged. I didn’t like his face.

“Where are you going after this?” The wife said.

“Well I was actually trying to find a college, I followed some signs and ended up here. Do you know where it is?”

“Oh yeah, it’s not far. We can drive you there after lunch.”

“Oh that’d be great, thanks. Just trying to use a computer.”

As the picnic came to a close, everyone finishing up their meals, the man pointed to his car. “That’s it. Pack up whenever you’re ready.”

I refilled my empty water bottles while I was here, and made for the car. The man walked beside me at a distance, somewhat behind. The couple and daughter packed up the car now, and we got in. “Why do you want to use a computer?” The wife said.

“I dunno, keep in touch with people, organize a route, whatever.”

“So you’re parents know you’re out here?”

“Yeah,” I lied, “I talk to them every chance I get.

Once arriving at the library section of the college, we found it was closed. “Oh boy.” The couple sighed. Without to much hesitation, they offered for me to stay at their house tonight. “It’s already pretty late, you probably won’t have much luck leaving.”

“...Sure, that’d be fine, if it’s no trouble.” I said.

“None at all. Our little girls here has moved out and we are planning her wedding, which will be soon. There’s an extra room with a bed you can sleep in, and you can use our computer if you want.” I guess, I thought to myself. Wouldn’t want to lose too much time staying in a spot for more than a day… But then again, time? I’m not going anywhere. I don’t have plans. What am I losing?

The drive to their house was about twenty minutes, slightly out of Elko, a very “middle of nowhere” type place. When we arrived, I came into find a fairly large house, three levels, or two and a half or something? I dunno, there was a downstairs area with bedrooms but it didn’t seem like much of a drop.

“There’s our computer,” the wife pointed. “You know what to do right? Sometimes it can be an ordeal.”

“Yeah, I’ll figure it out.” So, I left my bags in the room I would stay. I low bed covered in stuffed animals, and quite comfortable. Went up to use the computer, the man on a couch in the living room, reading the paper, occasionally glancing at me. I began to type an entry for this journal, listening to music, adding stuff to my mp3 player, my normal computer things. Started checking out some maps on how to get to Boulder, CO.

“Planning your route?” The man said.

“Yeah. Have you ever been to Boulder?”

“Passed through it some time ago, didn’t stay long. It looked like a nice place,” He paused, “You can’t just give up on life and run away…”

Here we go again, I thought. Barely four towns down, but already many lectures.

“When I was your age, I worked every day. I could establish something real quick, real easy. I did something like you once, but I was prepared. What do you have in those bags anyway?”

“Um… clothes. Packed too many clothes. Other general stuff.”

“You’ll be in trouble if you find yourself stranded in some empty forest or desert. And out here, there’s endless desert. Stay away, you’ll be a dead man.”

“Yeah. I’ve always wanted to travel a desert, it’s my favorite ecosystem. It could be interesting, but dangerous. Wouldn’t want to be ill-prepared.”

“You know, our Lord sees what you’re doing. If you need something, ask him. You will get it.”

“Uh-huh.” I said apathetically.

“You’re not too smart right now, are you? Doing this. Leaving, leaving for nothing. You need experience, work, people, money, you need to be straightforward. You came out here with a romanticized view of the road.”

“Oh well.” I said. “Do my best.”

…

Eventually, a young man came to the house, speaking with a Scottish accent. A lot of foreign people around here today. This was the fiance of the couple’s daughter. He was here to help set up the back yard for the ceremony. Everyone besides myself went out back now, I stayed to finish my journal entry. Afterwards, I’d join them. The fiance was shoveling gravel to clear a path, while everyone else watched from the side. “Pull up a seat.” Husband said. We talked now, more casual than before. Still, something about this guy. Still don’t like his face. The fiance was a charming and funny man, and I enjoyed his company. The couple were nice enough, but this isn’t my speed. Inside, you can just see, feel the age. It was so stale here, I wanted to leave.

When dinner time rolled around, we had a small meal, just grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. Store bought cherry pie for dessert. After, I would continue on the computer. “Do you think I could possibly take a shower?” I asked the wife.

“Of course you can, let me get you a towel.”

...

“We’ll take you wherever you need in the morning. Be up at 7.”

“Okay.” I said. The couple now retired to their room. I called it quits with the computer and when down into my temporary room for bed. This is an odd feeling, and an odd company. I felt strange being here, but I couldn’t tell you why. Now I shut off the lights. It was pitch black. Lied back on the bed and listened to a few songs on my mp3 player as I drifted into slumber.

I couldn’t put my finger on it. Why do I feel this way?

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