It became my favorite pastime. I looked forward to a good stroll. I roamed the streets, walked through cemeteries, parks, and sometimes even backyards. On foot was the way to go. I feel it gave me a true sense of where I was from. And now as an adult, I have no problem hitting the streets to get around.
Since we're a particularly LAZY society many people have a problem with walking. Maybe that's the reason a great deal of the population is HEFTY. That, and there are fast food dumps on every corner. It's sickening how spoiled we are... How everything is so easily accessible. If you wanted to be fat back in the days of the Neanderthals, you had to work for that SHIT. You had to kill more animals and raise more crops just to be able to have an excessive meal. Looking at these starving kids in 3rd World Countries it's easy to figure out why they're so skinny... Yes they're poor, but there isn't a McDonald's right around the corner and they're willing to walk 30 miles for a CRACKER. I doubt some kid from Glendale is about to walk 30 feet... for anything.
So what's with all this walking business, you ask? Other than my affinity for the outdoors... I'm not quite sure. Perhaps I was trying to prove some kind of POINT to myself or to those surrounding me. And if there was a point, I don't know what it could've been other than showing I was willing to do almost anything to get somewhere. It's silly I know, because I'm pretty sure no one was looking.
I went to boarding school where walking was the mainstay. There was no need to drive anywhere. You walked from your dorm to class, practice, and dinner... so my DISTANCE walking days appeared to be over. I thoroughly enjoyed those days afoot on that beautiful campus, but they flew by and before I knew it, I graduated.
At some juncture in college, I couldn't afford to have car. So my roommates (who were also great friends of mine) used to drive me all over... to class, to bars, to practice... Wherever. One day after class, I called my apartment from a payphone on campus (yes a payphone, I didn't have a cell yet) to ask for a ride home. When one of my roomies answered he quickly said, "Hang on, Can anyone pick this guy up?" What he didn't realize was I could hear everything that was about to be muttered. I then overheard my other roommate in the background calling me a "Pain in the ASS". I hung up before he had the chance to say anything else... and walked home. It wasn't that far, about 2 miles, but from there on out I never asked for another ride... Anywhere.
Finally I was making a point. I thought, "FUCK THEM." In retrospect, I don't blame them. It wasn't their responsibility to be driving me around. They were doing ME a favor. To this day, I'm still friends with those guys, but the truth was I didn't want to burden anyone. Therein was the rebirth of my WANDERING... Back to my roots.
When I first moved to California, I got a landscaping job in 2 days. During the first week of work, I cracked a tooth. Believe you me, that SHIT was painful. I was miserable for 3 days before I said anything. I called a local DENTIST and made an appointment for the next day. I asked my boss if I could have the day off; he was fine with it.
Since I didn't have a car yet, I needed a ride. What I neglected to mention was... I was staying in this very nice family's guest house. They took me in for no reason other than they liked me off of a first impression and wanted to help me out. For that reason alone, I will be forever grateful. Oh, and they didn't even know me. So I told them about my problem and the LADY of the household volunteered her assistant to drive me the following day. She said, "She'll drop you off... then call either of us and we'll come get you." I said, "Are you sure?" She replied, "Absolutely."
The next morning, her assistant dropped me at the Dentist and said, "Good Luck." I simply replied, "Thanks. I'll call you guys in a little while." She was already halfway out of the parking lot. Inside, the Dentist saw me immediately and explained I needed to have this taken care of today, it would take a few hours, and I would need a lot of local anesthetics and maybe some gas, so I probably shouldn't be driving. I then called the lady of the house to let her know and she said, "No Problem. Just call afterward and somebody will come get you." I thought, "Man these people are nice."
After an hour and a half of DRILLING MISERY in my mouth, I called the house from the waiting room. No answer. I called the assistant next. No answer. I then walked outside, called the house again, still no answer. My final call was to the Madam's cell phone to which my call was "Forwarded to an automatic messaging system". We all know what that means. They were DONALD DUCKING me.
Now I hope you realize... I HAD NO IDEA WHERE I WAS. I had just moved to California less than a week prior to this incident. I had only been to Santa Barbara and Hollywood, neither of which were anywhere near my current 20 (Location). I had no cash for a cab. I was only carrying my Debit card to pay for the Dentist and I figured a cab wouldn't accept it. At this point, I was so PISSED off I didn't know what to do. All I knew was I had to head WEST... toward the OCEAN. So yet again, I started WALKING. Luckily I had a sense of direction cause my Dad was a Truck Driver and I was smart enough to remember some of the street names.
Picture this... I had a JESUS-LIKE beard and crazy long hair. I looked like Barry Gibb (of Bee Gees fame) on STEROIDS. During the first leg of my walk, I was in a lower-middle class area but I knew I was headed to one of the most affluent areas in all of LA... So I had to keep moving toward the money. Did I mention this trek was uphill and it was HOT AS HELL? Well it was.
A few hours into my journey it got dark... fast. I was woozy and my mouth was swollen. It felt like there was a softball in my trap. I almost got pulled over twice... once I was in the nice area. I'd never seen security cars in a neighborhood before. They were all over the place. Cops too... Just patrolling the area. The amount of security was absurd. They were all eyeing me up. I'm thinking it was because I had my shirt off and wrapped around my head. Yeah that's it. I was sweating my ASS off and I looked like JOHNNY JIHAD... or a homeless guy that had no business being in a wealthy neighborhood.
Once I heard the OCEAN I knew I was close. Soon after it was before my eyes. I had reached the coastline. I knew where I was! A feeling of JUBILATION rushed through my veins. It was better than winning the State Championship... well almost. 1 mile left. Then, my phone rang. It was the Mrs. She asked me, "What happened to you?" I told her I couldn't get a hold of her and decided to walk. She thought I was nuts and wanted to pick me up on her way home. By now I had come all this way; I had to finish what I started. I said, "No thanks".
I admired that coastline more than anything I'd ever seen. It was so beautiful; I wanted to cry. Maybe it was because there were rocks in my shoes and I was about to pass out, but at that very moment I didn't have a care in the world. I took that last mile in. I walked slowly. When I finally got up the driveway (which was a mountain) in the pitch black night, I saw the light on in the kitchen of the main house. The KING of the castle saw me shirtless and drenched in my own fluids. He called out the window and invited me in. I told him the story. He laughed. Then he offered me some dinner and wine (all I wanted was about 10 gallons of water) and apologized for the mishap. He couldn't believe what I'd done. He said, "Do you know how far that was?" I had no idea. It was 15 miles. I slept like a baby for a week.
What the fuck was I doing? Who did I think I was? AGAIN... What was I trying to PROVE? All I proved was that I was an idiot for not going to an ATM and calling a cab. But you know what FUCK THAT. I needed to save every dollar I had since I just paid over 1000 bucks to have my GRILL fixed. I try to believe people are all innately good, and they truly want to help you, but as I've said before, you can't rely on anyone but yourself. If you want to get somewhere, get off your ass and hit the pavement. That's what shoes were made for, weren't they?
So you never know where walking the streets may take you, or what you might learn on those same streets. You're navigating, so choose your path wisely. I remember one particular day in college walking home through a foot of snow, I thought to myself, "I can't believe I have to do this! I'm walking everywhere; this is ridiculous! I'm somebody God Damn it... or nobody." Truth is, I didn't have to do that... I wanted to. I wanted to be alone. And walking can be good for you... if you know where you're headed. After that long, cold, 2 mile walk to my apartment, I stumbled through the door and kicked my boots off. I realized you didn't have to walk, or go to college, or be a superstar to be somebody. I already was somebody. I just didn't know who that was. So I laid down on the couch to mull over my situation and opted for a quick power nap instead... And I woke up 2 years later in my brother's basement. You can walk anywhere you want, but if you don't know where you're going, you always wind up in the same place. NOWHERE.
What were you doing walking from the Towers to the Colony in a foot of snow? You forgot your books again? Doubtful.
ReplyDeleteRegardless, powerful message KM.
KF