In the last two days, I have been in Texas for an hour, then in Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi. I didn't count California in there, of course. Tomorrow will be more Mississippi and I don't know where else. Louisiana perhaps?
Yesterday was a limited intro to the southern states. It started when I got onto the flight from Dallas to Memphis. As usual, I was the last person to board the plane (my choice) but right behind me was a pilot who was deadheading on that flight. He smiled nicely, as Texans do, asked me if I lived in Memphis, and when I said no, I lived in Northern California, his smile turned into a skinny tight mean line. He said, and I am not kidding, "We don't want those California values coming into our state." I countered with something about how I always found people in Texas to be so nice and welcoming. He said nothing, just continued with his skinny lips. Finally I said as I was walking onto the plane "I believe that people with different beliefs can live together." He looked like he wanted to slap me.
Yay for that. Then there was an hour wait to get the rental car because no one had shown up for work to clean the cars coming in that day and the only reason I got a car is because a cool guy just took things into his own hands and handed out keys, I am not kidding, just to get the eight of us waiting a car. So I ended up with a very large SUV kind of car. I maneuvered my way out of the Memphis airport and onto an interstate and after two hours I realized I needed to stop and hang out and figure out a plan. I checked into a hotel, read the maps and decided on a plan for today. Then I went out and had a crappy dinner, came back and went to bed.
Today I got on the road about 9:00 with a general road plan and I am now in Vicksburg, Mississippi in a fine low cost hotel having had two cocktails and a pizza with Brussels sprouts, bacon and harissa sauce which sounds questionable but is amazingly delicious, and all the details of today leading to that pizza with be forthcoming tomorrow.
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