Wednesday, October 22, 2008

The Lost Highway

As I looked up to the big blue moon hanging low overhead I couldn't help but think of Teddy Roosevelt walking for days on end in the Dakota Territory hunting deer and bison. For my own fleeting feelings of masculinity I was glad that I was unaccompanied by the modern conveniences of man such as a cellphone or OnStar. Five miles down the road my legs and feet were in strong disagreeance with my pride.

I left work last night around 1am and decided to drive south into Landrum, SC. The small town of Landrum is only five minutes from the North Carolina border and considered by many to be worth the effort to avoid NC's $.17 sales tax for gasoline. On the trip back, however, I found myself stranded on the side of I-26 after my car sputtered to a stop. The five mile walk back to town was quiet and black, interrupted only by the occasional big-rig pushing 10 tons of cold air onto my back and my sporadic singing of The Lost Highway by Hank Williams, Sr.

The cars that made a point to avoid me by switching lanes probably upset me more than the 18-wheelers barreling down the shoulder five feet to my left. I figure that there was always a chance that the 18-wheelers hadn't seen me. The cars that actually swerved into the far left lane had no such excuse. I should hold that judgment for myself, though. I don't pick up hitchhikers, either. At one point I glanced to my right to see a herd of deer looking curiously in my direction. I've never before stood so close to a wild herd of animals. Possibly they heard me butchering away at the Hank Williams' classic and decided to investigate the strange noise. Unlike Mr. Roosevelt, though, I allowed them to turn and gallop hurriedly into the night.

8 comments:

riva. said...

sorry about your five mile walk.

"I was glad that I was unaccompanied by the modern conveniences of man such as a cellphone or OnStar. "

that definitley made me snicker.
such simplicity in an event...and you made it beautiful.
i'm definitley subscribing.

:)

-riv-

Peter Varvel said...

Since you are kind enough not to shoot animals just for sport, I can condone your evolving the word 'disagreement' into 'disagreeance.'
(read Maguire's 'Wicked' or listen to the musical for some more of the same, fun word evolution!)

Michael DeAntonio said...

Varvel- I didn't think it was a word but 'truthyness' wasn't a word until Stephen Colbert fought for it. I guess I'll have to fight for disagreeance.

riva- You are the first known black person to read this blog. You'll always hold a special place in my heart, now.

Michael DeAntonio said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

I know this is off subject, but have you noticed that the only people who comment on your blogs are people you don't know? What the hell happened to our friends? You'd think they would read and comment.

Peter Varvel said...

Ha ha ha! More than once, I've thought about "What if I get to meet Bekki and Mike some day?"
I always think that our real life impressions of each other will be quite different - in disagreeance, if you will - of our online personas.

quin browne said...

whoa.

you didn't run into a single zombie??


someone was watching over you.

Michael DeAntonio said...

Quin- Indeed someone WAS watching over me. I have a sneaking suspicion it was Peter.