The Painted Desert

This won’t be as long as the Reno entry. I promise. But that is because I can remember most of the Reno trip. (On the downside, this will not be as well written as the Reno recap. I’m just trying to get back into the flow.)

In a Flagstaff trailer court, you wrote the line: “He kicked a tumbleweed and his mother called him home where the Arizona moon met the Arizona sun.” (10,000 Maniacs – “The Painted Desert”)

I think it was around January 21, 2011 when I left Austin for what I thought would be the last time. I was in a bad mental place at the time. I had just cashed out my meager 401k, I had just split up with my wife, and I had left my job of two and a half years. I was feeling adventurous – no kids of my own, no mortgage, no lease (except a new lease on life). I bought a used Suburban and loaded up all my belongings.

Because I had just accepted a job offer in Las Vegas.

And then I headed to Fort Worth. Actually, Keller to be specific. My good friends Nate and Ali were hosting a small going away party for me on Saturday the 22nd. The added bonus was that on Monday morning, Nate would assume the role as my co-pilot to Nevada.  Ali graciously allowed me to borrow him for a week – he’d make the drive with me, and then fly back to DFW on the 29th.  What could go wrong with that plan?

On Monday morning, we loaded  up the Suburban (which we had by then christened the “USS Vegas”) and hit the road.  I stopped at a 7-11 to fill up with gas, and that is when Nate realized he left his wallet behind.

Two miles in, we were already backtracking.

Foreshadowing?