This past week I've felt like I was in 'impending crisis mode' and I'm not sure why. Everything seems fine? Regardless, I felt the need to escape and I needed a change of scenery and some alone time. I decided to take a little road trip to Oxford to see William Faulkner's home, Rowan Oak, and to wander around the town for a bit. It rained practically the entire day. Not a downpour, but a light steady rain.
I got to Oxford in less than an hour and a half, long enough to listen to a Death Cab for Cutie album one and a half times. When I first got off of the interstate I turned right instead of left and ended up going 15 minutes off course before I realized my mistake and turned around. Then I actually drove past Rowan Oak twice before I saw it. I'll admit there was a slightly creepy quality to walking around there all alone with steady rain.
After I toured the house I drove around and found a place to eat. I picked the wrong Saturday to visit town because it is the weekend before school starts on Monday at Ole Miss. Every eatery and coffee shop in town with packed with frat boys discussing various ways they would be attempting alcohol poisoning last night. But I was still able to enjoy my BLT, greasy fries and grape Crush (in a bottle!). After I ate I drove around the Square several times before I found a place to park. The Square is there 'main drag' and its where the bookstore and the coffee shop I wanted to go to was. Square Books was packed too but I found a autographed copy of "A Dangerous Age" by Ellen Gilchrist, who is my favorite writer.
I went to a coffee shop and sat and knit and drank a mocha and people watched again. I left about 4:00 and got home around 5:30ish. It was a good day despite the rain, I felt like I cleared my head a little.
4 comments:
I schooled (grad), lived, taught (undergrad, elementary/middle), married there. It's a great little town, and now I can spot an Ole'(pronounce it the spanish way) frat boy from 20 yards. Where'd you eat? I lived on van buren, three or four blocks down the same street Sq. Books is on. Did you know the owner's the mayor?
I ate at Phillips Grocery on Lamar I think? I had been twice before, once to see G Love & Special Sauce at the Library and the other time to a wedding of friends who got married at the chapel on campus. I wanted to park and take pictures of all those gorgeous houses I saw but the rain and heavy traffic prevented me from doing that. I did not know that about the mayor, very cool.
What a beautiful adventure. It sounds peaceful and lovely and I wish I could do a little jaunt like that myself.
this seems like a great idea and i have to say, the weather seemed to mimic your heart. here's to clearer thoughts!
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