After dinner Rees and I went for coffee where we met Wolf and Liberty for coffee and tea. We sat outside and I made this photograph in the wanning evening light. Talk of the state of the world the mix of youth and us older guys disappeared as we found common ground. Most of the people I spoke with whether they were old, young, right or left were uncomfortable with the countries direction. Many unsure of the direction or even who really was at the helm of the ship of state. Personal financial distractions, cultural differences and the constant bombardment of information/disinformation led to an underlying feeling of uneasiness.
August fourteen in Chicago I met Rick in the food court. Both of us going to Olympia to Sunday weddings, could we, are we soon to be relatives? No but coincidence continued to form the Amtrak community for the trip west. Cowboys, poets, exotic dancers, professors, scientists, college students, a petty officer from a tall ship all part of this cast. All sharing experience from Canada to Zimbabwe, all riding across this great nation concerned with what comes next.
I ponder youth naivety, age experience
a youthful sparkle in the eyes
Between here and there
A cynical haze clouds vision
Between here and there.
[excerpt of longer yet unfinished piece]
On the rails the mix worked very well. August 15th a day of poets and a story teller from North Dakota who regales us with of his and his parents, grandparents history of life in the northern plains. His details and colorful remembrances of the last century handed down oral history amaze me. The good and bad times, a high school football coach, teacher, farmer, traveler, veteran, I was too enthralled by his tales to photograph or tape his exploits, across the aisle from him was an older women who confirmed and added to the local history lesson. A station stop to stretch our legs and he was gone leaving us with the feeling of his easy laugh and of times gone by between here and there. His North Dakota slogan and his laugh rings in my memory “Forty below keeps the riff raff out.”
The Cascades and Washington, loss of my I-pod virginity to come. enjoy pjc
Look at that catate the mouse grin!
-Love it!
Peter, I read your stories, your poems and your pictures, and feel that I share a bit of America with you, thanks for that. I’m so busy right now that I don’t want to write insignificant things just to let a comment, but I wanted you to know that I am still a regular visitor here, and soon will be back with more thoughts on your thoughts and images:)
love
Andrea
Thanks Andrea,
I know how busy you are with the show coming up in November. enjoy pjc
Hi Peter,
I’m enjoying reading about your trek. I am leaving on yet another trek myself in a few days. I’m heading back to San Diego for three weeks; yet another business trip to keep the bosses happy. The politics of corporate America are quite nauseating and I hate political correctness. I think it’s total crap. If people would spend as much time bettering themselves as they did trying to figure out a way to make a common hand tool be offensive to them, the world would be a much better place.
I look forward to your next installment and hope this note finds you well! I know you were a bit under the weather last time we spoke. I’ll drop you an email real soon. Take care, my friend!
I would have loved to listen to the North Dakota Storyteller! As I wonder what : 40 below keeps the riff raff out” means??
Your poem is so, how can I say that, ..true. I feel this cynical haze sometimes, clouding visions…
Andrea,
Forty below [Fahrenheit]is a common temperature in winter. Riff raff would be undesirable people, criminals, the poor, politicians.
enjoy pjc
Peter, this makes me happy cause its funny and because I had thought exactly this:
That 40 degrees (Celsius:) would keep bugs or other unwanted insects or microbes away be (= undesirable people, criminals, politicians ) (I delete the poor poor!)
And: Your ramblings are always so much fun to read!
Andrea,
Unfortunately deleting the poor is a national sport here in the US, or maybe we are just “postponing the poor.” Have a wonderful weekend. A couple of new images on the Prints for the People link in yesterdays entry. enjoy pjc
Mike,
Have fun in San Diego my stories will continue as long as the FCC allows it LOL. I have no plans to postpone my blog, and “I’m not a crook” smiling and flashing the victory sign. enjoy pjc