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Aaron is walking around America. This blog exists to help him connect with people while he is away and for anyone who is interested in following him on the path. Thanks for visiting!

Monday, May 10, 2010

Laughter

It was not a sign, like a Jesus face in a Tortilla kind of sign, but a sign as in, a piece of cardboard. Laying face down in the grass. A piece of trash. Litter. For some reason this felt perfect. This felt like permission. I was going to pick this sign up, turn it over and it was going to have the destination of some previous hitchhiker written on it and I was going to be inspired to hitch a ride to my new destinaton. To wherever the sign said. It was too perfect. Too easy. I reached down and lifted the piece of cardboard up and flipped it over.

YARD SALE it read. All caps.

For a brief instance I thought about continuing with the plan. I pictuered myself standing on the side of the road, backpack at my feet, thumb jutting out at a jaunty angle, holding in my other hand this sign reading Yard Sale. Picturing the strange looks of the people as they pass me by. Me thinking about where someone would take me if I was picked up. "Take me to your nearest yard sale pronto!" Then wondering why nobody is stopping. And the absurdity of the thought hit me like a little kid. Just right. I could not stop laughing for five minutes. The kind of laughter that shoots soda through nasal cavities. That causes accidents in underdrawers. That mends broken wings and bonds families back together.

I left the sign on the side of the road. Chuckling and smiling big as I climbed the next gigantic freakin' hill ahead of me which suddenly looked much smaller. My attitude having transformed from sulky moaner, to jovial yukster in the amount of time it takes to flip that little switch in my head.

3 comments:

  1. Just make sure you take the time to dry out your gear--it's a drag to smell mold all the time (taken from experience).

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  2. Great advice G. Thankfully I was able to dry things out after my wet night. And I just saw a weather report for the area saying that it is going to be nice and 65-75 for at least the next 4 days.

    Sweet!

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  3. Remember who your bumbly bee really is! Yahoo. Deb

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