Today was weird. I thought I was ready to just full on blast back into Brooklyn and get settled so I can get back to work on Monday, but getting here was harder than I expected.
I had about 6 hours to do, according to Google Maps, which in Odin time means at least 8 by the time our 55 max speed plus stops are factored in. It was mostly a blur of highway signs, but I did take a random side trip in Maryland to complete my state magnet collection, and found a great yard sale where I overpaid for a box of rusty stuff I don't actually need, but it was a good distraction none the less. The diversion also took me down a one lane road through the woods that was a refreshing break from semi trucks and rest stops. It was like the beginning of the trip, down the Oregon coast...clean air, lush trees and winding road. It made me realize how long I've actually been driving. It seems like months ago I was getting blown all over the road and wondering if I was going to crash into a ditch! Now I'm casually driving with one hand, barely phased if a truck barrels by and the wind is gusting. Odin and I have really figured one another out.
When I crossed the state line into New York, I got pretty choked up. It was a mixture of being home and the adventure ending, and knowing that I'm back here without my dad being just a phone call away. It was the period at the end of that chapter. It really felt like I should just turn around and start driving back from where I just came, so I wouldn't have to end it, but I knew I couldn't. I decided to take the long way home on surface streets so I could cruise through Brooklyn. The sun was just going down, and it was a beautiful night, so people were out and about everywhere. Pedestrians walking out into traffic, people double parked, horns honking...it was all music to me. As I passed through Bed-Stuy, I got to see Jessae as she was walking Apple, and while I had no where to park and give her actual hugs, we got to have big waves and blown kisses, and it instantly made me feel like I was home. When I got back to my neighborhood, I stopped in at my friend Julie's birthday and was greeted with lots of love and hugs from her and a bunch of my other friends. It was exactly what I needed to remind me this is where I belong...for now at least...
