This was the most exciting thing we did in Kansas. All 10+ hours of it! I mean, I felt pretty amorous towards the rolling expanses of green land at first, impressed with how–after Kansas City and Topeka– there could be so much America without anything but flat, far fields. The kids and I were playful then, at the beginning of this day, teasing a Clock-Watching Bob about our plans to divert him to Corn Palace, Eisenhower’s Birth Home, and the world’s largest ball of twine (thanks Lee!) Perhaps another day, kids, with Aunt Jenny, and Grandpa’s picture on the dashboard….today, we spent ALL DAY in Kansas, and all we got was this photo:
Well, I did snap a couple more. To capture the day, of course.
I am proud of us. No one really lost their temper for more than a moment. The kids took turns sleeping in the “middle section”. Bob interspersed his Yardbirds, John Mellencamp, and John Prine eclectica with some actual 80’s Alt/Pop. I think he was trying to cheer me up for working on vacation, but I kept looking up to see Flat Kansas, and felt like I had the better deal.
Then, something happened:
We watched the hazy outline of mountains form in the distance, something we are used to when returning home to Asheville from anywhere, only as the cloudy tops came into view, the far-away ones were covered in snow and the near ones among us were were craggy plateaus. Denver came–“look, kids, Infrastructure!”– but we passed on through to a night stop in Golden, where upon disembarking for a refresh, Bob became a new man. Like a man falling into the arms of a long lost love. I mean really, I was like, Guys, are you aware that we might be driving back east without him? Maybe he was just happy that Back-up Driver was now On Duty. Either way, thanks Bob, you deserve a sigh and a smile! And Kansas, no hate, I promise!
Car Full of Carpenters 