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May 20, 2009

We're a Little Past Little Rock


Category: Everyday News
Posted by: jared

Hey everyone!

 

We're on the road again, and this time it's to uncharted territory for the Lindseys (at least from a solid ground perspective).  I will tell you that Memphis looked far easier to navigate when we flew into it for a connecting flight a few months ago.  Honestly, our GPS unit is so STUPID!  Petesake, all we wanted was a Walmart so Papa could rest his eyes.  I'll tell you about it (who can resist telling a good story)!

 

We left yesterday at around six our time (a round of applause please, we were ONLY six hours late).  After a "quick" stop to Lowe's ("quick" is relative when you're talking to a guy - in this case Papa).  We were out within two hours.  Finally, well on our way.

 

Well, we were making "okay" time, but around one in the monring Papa's eyes were getting heavy and droopy (we know this because the rumble strip was connecting with our tires a bit too much for any comfort - this explains why I was in the BACK of the bus).  So Papa proceeded to punch walmart in GyPSy (GPS unit whom we affectionately call GyPSy) for locations in Memphis where we were getting close to.  The first walmart was all we needed, so we followed directions.  She's so naive.  Doesn't she know that city's develop?  Walmart wasn't where it was supposed to be.  And we were in a part of Memphis that did not look promising at all for any further walmart prospects.  So we pulled back out on the interstate after punching in the next location.  Once is strange, but twice.  No way.  But you can't argue with your eyes.  No Walmart.  I always believed in statistical probability (or I think that's what it is).  You can't base an entire conclusion on one incident.  There has to be at least three.  But in this case, I might have been willing to bet that poor GyPSy was in the wrong city at least.  So we pulled out of a lower class portion of Memphis that was packed out with homeless night-owls, and down a hill to a stop light where a portion of the expanse of a river came into view.  The back of the bus had gotten unbearably hot and we were kind of breathing eath other's carbon dioxide, so Rebekah and I came up front and confiscated the master bed.  We were being a little crazy (lack of shuteye can do such things to otherwise calm and collected people).  Our tones quieted when we were working our way through the business district, and on the way down the hill, where there's a river waiting if you don't stop, and a red light at the bottom of the hille, well, suffice to say we're not altogether accustomed to the strange shifting behavior of the bus (speeding up to shift down?  Holy Moly!  Who would think?)  When the river came into view there were several more kids up and on the bed watching the night show.  Papa broke into a rendition of "Old Man River" and we all realized that we were facing the Mighty Mississippi, and we all joined for the operatic ending "He just keeps rolling along" all Mr. Walther style (Mr. Walther  - once our piano teacher - and always a perpetual movie line or corny joke, in this case, if you all didn't catch the 'Showboat' line, then that was a movie we watched with him a few years ago.  Old Man River was kind of the theme song for us, and we sing it in Mr. Walther's honor whenever we get the chance!)  The bus began climbing up towards the bridge that would take us across and make us officially in the west.  But that had nothing to do with the story.  The Walmart.  That's what I was talking about.  Okay, so finally GyPSy actually got us to a Walmart somewhere outside of Memphis, and we started to pull in.  Low and behold, there was a height limit, and our bus was considerably too tall.  WEll, this made us a little unhappy.  So we drove around groaning and complaining a little about modern technology and business marketing and sale strategies (basically, keep the big vehicles OUT so a lot of smaller vehicles can get IN).  Well, apparently another vehicle about our size thought that it was annoying as well, and must have lacked self control because one of the tubes on the height limit thing was torn off and all that was left were the chains.  In we went!  Well, that was only the beginning of our troubles.  They are really serious about this keeping big vehicles out because the even conspire against us with the landscaping.  THe concrete borders are just wide enough for the cars to get in and out of, and certainly not a bus with no break in the middle...  Man!  Well, we found a double wide one and scooted in.  Okay, so now they compact their parking lots to house a lot of (guess?) SMALL CARS.  So we might have gotten IN, but if there were a lot of customers in the morning, we sure weren't getting OUT.  So we pulled back out and found the place where the walmart trucks park for the night, and pulled in.  As we started to kill the engine I noticed a sign that said "TRUCKS:  Two hour parking!"  I moaned theatrically and brought it to Papa's attention.  We all stared at the sign like a bunch of unbelieving victims of a marketing explosion, having just been through one too many hurdles.  Fortunately, our dear Papa would make a good lawyer or something: "We're not a truck" he finally said, and we all chose to not argue the point.  Too tired.........

 

We're on our way this morning.  At current, a little past Little Rock, and a long way from our concert destination!  Uncle Butch and Aunt Marybeth, a tornado is headed your way... :-)  Can't wait to get there with ya'll!

 

We'll be back on later with more news.  For now, I am Elisabeth Lindsey, thanking you for reading the Lindsey Land Experiences.  Please check back later for more from our adventures.

 

Have a great day everyone!

Elisabeth for the crew

 

PS, we're also REALLY thankful that the front AC is workable after thinking we were going to have to travel to the scorching west without cold air.  :-)  Thank you everyone who was praying!