Karla and I stopped for a short break. I’m standing in the shade, looking at a building that is either being seriously renovated or torn down. A man walks by, goes to look at the building then returns. I ask him about the status. He explains that it was the old hardware store, but some guy had been storing crap and corruption in it for years. Apparently in it and around it. The good citizens of Odell coped with the eyesore for a years and years, but finally, enough was enough. He was given three months to get everything inside and make the place look pleasant. But he was unable to meet the goal. It seems his wife died and his dog ran away... or no, his dog died and his wife ran away with a warehouseman from Grand Island, and so he was given another month. But he turned to the bottle, so the townsfolk had no choice but to kick him out. They were so lucky to find somebody from up in Beatrice who would tear it down just for the wood and all the crap inside. Everyone is so happy.
Then Karla joined us. The conversation continued for another 15 minutes, covering the old hospital, the buildings on main street and the building with murals that went into the bathrooms. I now know more about Odell, Nebraska than I do about Odell, Oregon. I’m pretty sure Karla can say the same thing.
But, it is one of my favorite memories of the road trip. A man in Odell, Nebraska made his home town sound so inviting and interesting that I really would have liked to hang around for the afternoon. Under different circumstance.
But don’t say anything to spoil Karla’s surprise.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment