The Day's Musings: The Sacredness of Food.

posted by Patty James @ 5:35pm, Thursday 4 February 2010.

Last night at the RV Park in Amarillo, there was a knock on my door at about 8:30. Patch and Wilma went nuts, of course. It was the wonderful man who worked there and another man with him, whom I hadn't met yet. 'Missy, we've got to unhook your water." He had told me that I needed to unhook it some time that afternoon, or the iron water pump would freeze and knock out my water and maybe everyone elses. I had meant to do it a couple hours earlier, but hadn't got to it yet. I feared I was in trouble...I don't like being in trouble. I apologized and they both said, no problem, if I had knocked out the water, (they hadn't told me that part earlier by the way) they wouldn't have told on me and then they proceeded to unhook the hose for me. They asked if I had enough fresh water and propane before round two of the storm hit, and yes I had.  "Now, you call anytime if you need anything." When I had checked in the day before he asked me if I had a AAA card and I said yes and went to get it out of my wallet. "I don't need to see it," he said, "You said you had one." How can you not smile? I love that kind of thing. We should be able to trust people and take them at their word.

This morning, I awoke to about 6" of newly fallen snow. I pulled on my dirty jeans, down jacket and rubber boots, which are now a permanent fixture by the door. The dogs rushed out, and since there was no rain today, they seemed quite happy. I wondered how far Patch would go today as running hasn't been his thing lately-or walking for that matter. This morning was different. We crossed the big road and went down the same farm road we had walked a couple times now. They could be off-leash and Wilma was tearing all over the place. Patch, as usual for most of this life, maintains a steady stride right next to me, even off-leash. It was so much fun!

I had some work to catch up on and then I checked the weather and roads. Another storm was coming in and I wanted to leave before it hit. I-40 was now open, so onward to Oklahoma, after filling up the fresh water and propane tanks. Just in case I got stuck somewhere alongside the road, I needed to be prepared. As we left town, I couldn't believe how many abandoned vehicles I saw. It had been quite the storm.

This was the worst day driving yet. There was heavy fog and sometimes you could only see about 500' or so in front of you. What if someone was going slow? You'd be on them before you could see them. I couldn't believe how many truckers whizzed by me at 75 miles per hour. Faith I guess, and experience. I'm really starting to understand how truckers work. Since I-40 had been closed, the road today was full of trucks-packed full. They are generally so polite. When I would pass one, they flash their lights letting me know it's o.k. to pull back in. I do the same now; kinda' fun feeling like I belong. When anyone is pulled over by the side of the road, they pull over into the furthest lane so as to give them space. I do that now too. The only thing that I didn't understand today was the trucker who was in front of me for quite a few miles. For no apparent reason, he would change lanes. He did this quite a few times-no idea why.

I didn't see the Welcome to Oklahoma sign as it was so foggy. I stopped for gas and that's when I knew I had crossed the state line. A wonderful woman, who worked there and lived across the street, asked what I was doing all by myself (I'm asked that a lot) and we had a nice conversation. She told me she had asked a woman recently if she knew where her eggs came from and she replied, "Isle 13 at Walmart." This subject has been on my mind a lot as it's pretty apparent that most kids have no clue, nor do they want to know, where their food comes from.

As I drove along the interstate, signs would say, Cherokee Country, then Cheyenne Country, then Cheyenne-Arapaho. We all know that Native American's would say thanks before taking an animals life and only killed what they needed. Can you imagine Native American children not knowing where their food comes from? When did the sacredness of food leave us as a culture? How can we get it back? I really want to work on this as part of the curriculum when the year is over.

I am now at an RV Park in Oklahoma City and again, the question was, "Do you have a AAA card?" Yes, was my answer as I opened my wallet, and again, "I don't need to see it." I am teary writing this thinking about the goodness of people and how such a little thing like trust is such a big thing.

I spoke with a nice man who is arranging interviews with kids in Oklahoma City. Amarillo didn't work out for interviews because of the storm. Disappointing, but I understand. I'll dip back into Texas after Oklahoma City.

About the photos, in order:
Extension cord to get the gas pump to work in a small town in Texas. So funny...
Wind farm on one side of the highway and a 'stock yard' on the other. Those poor cows standing in the muck. It smelled for at least a mile.
Patch and Wilma in the snow in Amarillo
The road to get on I-40.