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Published: July 28th 2005
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Paul's Motel
Such high class accomodations, living the life of luxury on the road... to quote Paul (the owner of the Motel): "What's that thing called? Oh yes- the internet. How's that work again?" Location: Jackson, KY
Date: June 28th, 2005
I’m not sure if I’m adjusting quickly to this new life style of packing up and driving somewhere new every week, or if by leaving towns I’m leaving everything behind and my mind has yet to catch up and realize how crazy what I’m doing is. I’m not sure exactly what I was expecting my reaction to be, but it was definitely along the lines of weirdness and freaking out. But it still hasn’t completely hit me yet, or maybe I just adapt easily to new situations- who knows.
The shows went well last week (in Cory, PA) I screwed up a few lines and songs but oh well. I also sweated up a river on stage what with the lack of AC and me in my huge bear suit with pelt and all. The kids seemed to enjoy pointing out to me (as if I didn’t realize on my own) how much I was sweating every chance they got.
Quotes of the week: The monkeys rehearsing in the choral room “Why is it called the choral room if it doesn’t have any coral?” and several other alterations to that question
Paul Motel 2
The old overgrown sign, and Megan returning from the pool. in all sincerity (“Are the cabinets filled with coral?”)
It was easier this time around leaving the kids. Maybe I just didn’t make as close a connection with them. Or perhaps I’m already getting used to it. Either way Megan and I were both ready to leave Corry, PA by the end of the week. We did end up going back to the pub and bowl for a few more games of pool (me with my Mike’s Hard Lemonade and Megan with her gin and tonic) as well as going bowing with a few of the kids in the cast- two games in which I attempted “to shoot the moon” and lost with probably the lowest score in bowling history. I don’t think I even broke 50- both games combined.
We packed up and headed out for our nine-hour trip back down 71 to Jackson, KY where we are currently stationed. Staying at “Paul’s Motel”. No Joke. Complete with indoor pool with painted indoor façade from the 70’s (closed after safety inspections recently but Paul, with his raspy high pitched barely intelligible southern accent says, “I filled it with chlorine and it aint cloudy so I figure it’s
Kudzu Creature
Who needs clouds when you have Kudzu? Is it an elephant? An ape? A giant? fine”- as he scoops bugs and debris out it and flings it onto the carpet floor beside the pool), and huge downstairs gym (also probably from the 70’s smelling like decades old BO.
My motto for the week is “Being Southern is not just being in the South.” It’s a whole different world down here. Environmentally I feel like we’re in the jungle. High tree topped hills with ivy like vines hanging down covering all. The vines, I’ve found out are called Kudzu. It was imported from Asia to help prevent hillside erosion. It took over, like none native things generally tend to do, and is now posing a threat to practically everything- as it grows at super speed and sucks the life out of everything around it. (Hmmm… see previous entry about Wal-Mart…) It is beautiful though. As it climbs trees, houses, telephone poles, and wires it creates amazing sculptures and shapes that turn to nightmarish creatures at night.
These small towns appear out of nowhere, hidden from the outside world. They, along with the highway roads have literally being blown into the mountains. Brethit County, where we are- is dry. Like alcohol dry. There really is nothing to do here. I joked that everyone just hangs out in the parking lot of Wal-Mart (yes of course there is a Wal-Mart) for fun. We ask around and low and behold it’s actually the parking lot behind McDonalds (my mistake).
Last night we drove to Hazard, a nearby town (not the fictional Hazzard of the Dukes- which was in Georgia, but it still draws tourists just the same apparently) and saw Batman Begins. Driving back, we witnessed a huge thunderstorm that I guess had just passed over and was now behind us as we drove. We couldn’t hear the thunder and it was dry, but the lightening lit up the sky and hills and clouds. It was incredible. We eventually stopped to watch and we could see the storm above one of the hills behind us. A massive cloud, the rest of the sky was clear, hung over one of the hills, and the flashes and sharp jagged bolts were shooting off inside the cloud. I felt as if I were in the story of Rip Van Winkle with the Gods bowling in the hills. Thinking back it was if Frankenstein’s castle were below calling up this storm around it.
Currently in Winder, PA, a month ahead, with lots of updating to do. I finally have reliable internet for this week, the dial-up from the past month and a half just hasn't been cutting it. How did we ever survive with modems? Four more weeks and then I'm heading home for a two and half week break. This summer has been zooming by so fast. Each week seems to accelerate at an exponential speed. I'm glad I'm on the tour for the whole year. To finish at the end of the summer, like some, would be very unfufilling. More updates and photos to come.
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