Pre Trip 3

Pre Trip 3

Today is the first day of the trip. I sold my car - symbolicly I have a new begining. I decided to fly to Houston insted of driving. Easy choice when you have no car. I had to pay 120$ for the ticket for the ticket but I would have had to pay 40$ for a bus ticket and wait 9 extra hours - that is worth the price. I met two of the most intresting people today. This girl Kim was so intresting. She remined me of myself. I was glad to meet her beacuse I got to see how others must see me. She didn't want kids and was indifferent to marrige. Talking to her made me realize how I have changed my tune with regards to marrige and family over the last couple of years. The ride to the airport was intresting. All my luggage got rained on and my flight was delayed. When I got on the plane I was seated next to a very intresting fellow. The guy, whos name I forgot, was a lawyer, well travled, and a great conversationlist. We talked all the way to Houston about life, fatherhood, social theory, place we had been, placed we wanted to go - just everything. He gave me a differnet image of life after young adulthood. He is very much the person I saw myself being after I left college. I hope I can achive that type of life one day. In the middle of the conversation he bought me a drink with a voucher. When the lady came by I couldn't find the voucher he gave me so he used another. Later I found the voucher in my wallet. I'm going to use it as a keepsake. On the A.T. people talk about "trail magic" and "trail angles." I think these two people gave me a bit of "trail magic." In conversating with them I was able to see my old way of thinking and the way I wish to be in the future all in one day. The whole experince reminded me of Christmas Carol. Ghost of Earl Future and Ghost of Earl Past all in one day. That is exactly what I needed, exactly the right time, provided by complete stragers. What a way to start a trip!