Thursday, January 8, 2009

The Sun is Setting in the West

Here I sit, at a coffee shop in Denton, Texas, the only place, so far, I can find with free wi-fi. What happened to the freedom of the American west? The great wide open spaces? I'll tell you what's happened: They've been filled with apartment complexes, highway interchanges, shopping malls, and chain restaurants. It's not all bad. I've managed to find (be introduced to) a number of bars sporting gigantic beer lists, and you can imagine how happy that made me. It's also like, 75 degrees with glorious sunshine.

What the hell are you doing sitting in a damn coffee shop?!?!! Satiating two addictions, my friends.

I drove to Texas in a Ford Focus that listens when I talk and obeys my commands. I also drove in the ice. It made this "error" sound when I asked it to make the ice go away. Technology can't fix everything.

It's funny being back here, and driving around old streets I used to drive down every day. It comes back to me gradually. I don't know the way when I leave so it's like playing the original mario brothers, the path becomes clear to you as you continue down it. Kinda like life. Blah blah. I've been taking a lot of pictures, trying to capture the essence of "my" Texas. I've taken entirely too many pictures. It's had a tiny mind clearing effect. That may be just the time away from Memphis.

Let's look at some pictures:
This is a minor monstrosity on one of the millions of different freeways that zig-zag through the city.














Here is the great western expanse: Filled with telephone poles, strip malls, and apartment complexes.













This, my friends, is the very first apartment that I lived in an paid for on my own. I was 22. I painted it green.














This is my good friend Isaiah amidst the glowing welcome of the Galeria Shopping center.















And here's the city as seen from White Rock Lake Park. Fitting for the title, eh?

4 comments:

Unknown said...

I remember that cute apartment, that nice guy, and that huge mall. I'm extremely jealous of the warmth and the wonderful feelings that arise when taking a long drive alone: freedom from nagging everyday things, self-sufficiency, appreciation of the vastness of the world, etc. I hope that have a fantabulous trip.

Merriam said...

love the photos. you should come back through kc on your way home. Megan did. =) Miss you and am looking forward to that personalized presentation on solo travel =)

Juniperrr said...

what made you take a trip?

Juniperrr said...

what made you wanna drive to texas, anyway?