Jen Jeffrey
While I love being on the farm and hiking with the Greys, sometimes I like to go into town to explore or even explore outside of my area. With Samantha (my trusty GPS) by my side I find that I am fearless in just taking off in any direction, knowing that she will lead me back home after I have seen what I want to see.
The most exciting part is not knowing what I want to see until I have seen it. After a little snow we had a few weeks ago (which prompted me to curl up in my favorite sage down throw for days) I had cabin fever. The next beautiful clear day beckoned me to dodge my yoga pants and sweat shirts for ‘regular clothes’ and to head out driving.
I had no agenda or any idea where I would drive to, but recently on Facebook a few of my friends posted a link showing a map of all the states in the U.S. they had been to. Most of my friends had their map colored with quite a few states. I knew I had not been many places outside of the South other than New York and Minnesota, so I took the map challenge and listed the places I had been. My map didn’t have much color at all. I don’t count it if I have only ‘driven through’ a state. I count it only if I have actually stopped and seen a part of that state and somehow making it memorable.
It was plain that I had stayed close to home having only been to Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri and Kentucky and then when I moved to New York, I had stopped in Pennsylvania too. And, upon moving back home while wrecking into the Virginia Mountains, I could say I stopped there too visiting their hospital.
That was the extent of the color on my map of places I had been so with a day of exploring my surroundings, I kept this in mind and hoped that I had enough time to explore across the state line. I took my phone and Googled a United States map to see which states bordered Kentucky and to grab an address of something nearby to key in my GPS.
I had never been to Illinois and even though I thought it would be cool to go to Chicago, I knew I didn’t have time for that, so I searched for something closer. I considered Springfield and keyed that in my GPS, but knew I would probably not go that far.
Samantha led me in that direction though and we just enjoyed the drive. The pastures in Kentucky are plentiful with the long white fences and magnificent horses. That alone is worth the drive.
Once I crossed the Kentucky border into Illinois, I saw a sign to “Metropolis”. How cool! I hadn’t been driving very long at all and I was already at a memorable place to color on my map. I took the exit and turned my GPS off so that I could explore in peace without Samantha rerouting me.
I could not believe all the Superman signs and shops. I had no clue Metropolis was even a real city, or that I lived so close! When I moved to New York a few years ago, I had written a few times about my fancy with superman and about searching for him. I was even Supergirl for Halloween one year. I had let that silliness go when I had gotten married because I felt that I had found my superman in my husband. But I have to admit, I got pretty excited when I saw a sign that read, “See the huge Superman statue”. I followed that sign to a little “Superman town’ and pulled over by the statue.
There were tourist taking pictures by the statue so I took pictures of the ‘phone booth’ and a few small statues until ‘he was free’. And there he was in all his glory. The sun shining behind his head made him look god-like. I know who my God is and who I worship … but this was in fun. I took a picture of my larger than life hero and it was almost as if it were the close to a long journeys end. The search for superman had come to a close and, not only did I live by him, I live WITH him! My superman was recently named vice chair of the Independent Insurance Agents of Kentucky (IIAK) and I am so proud of him.
He may not leap tall buildings in a single bound, but he is there for his customers, the community and he is personable and caring. He is the real deal – so genuine. I still have my career, writing my column for the Chattanooogan.com and recently signing with The Seymour Agency working on publishing my books, but I also have stepped into the role of supporting my husband when he attends the IIAK events.
We will be going to Atlanta in a few weeks and then later to Washington for a couple of events, so I am sure to ‘color my map’ even more.
As I got back in my car, I saw that Jason had texted me asking where I was. I texted back, ‘Metropolis’ and continued to drive knowing that would throw him off. I like being unpredictable at times.
I wasn’t too far from Superman town when I pulled into a parking lot to take a picture of a pretty bridge scene. Oh, it wasn’t as pretty as my favorite bridge in the whole world – the Walnut, but it was a beautiful sight. After getting a few shots of the bridge span across the river, I noticed the large building in the parking lot called “Harrah’s”. I wasn’t sure, but I thought that was a casino I had heard about in commercials.
A casino? Hmmm… it would make for a great ‘map stop’ story to see inside a real casino. I am sure many of you think nothing of seeing a casino and perhaps a few of you enjoy them, but I had never been to one and I had no idea what the rules were or what to expect. I had only seen one in movies and it was usually with bad guys, drugs and killings, so my eyes were wide with naivety.
I saw a metal gate surrounding the place and a security guard station. I was not sure if I was allowed to just walk right up to the casino or if I could take a picture. Maybe I think that my ‘ignorance is bliss’ card will get me out of jail if I walk into something I shouldn’t, but I am a seize-the-moment-kind-of-gal even if I haven’t experienced a lot. I was able to walk passed the security box and in through the doors.
It reminded me of an airport and there were gates to pass through and security guards posted in several stations. I stopped at one of the gates and spoke with a guard while waving my hands in nervous gestures as I explained that I had crawled out from underneath a rock and I had no clue if I can enter the facility freely, or if I have to be a member or need to pay admission… he was kind and understanding (and slightly amused) telling me that I could pass. I asked if there were a restaurant where I could get lunch and he pointed me to Bridges Diner.
I passed several slot machines and though I had never gambled in my life (nor really had the desire to) I thought I might try one on the way out ‘just because’.
At the entrance of the diner, I was stopped by a gentleman asking if he could help me. Still nervous with my ‘under-a-rock dust’ all over my face, I explained that the “cop said I could eat here” (as if I were in trouble with the gentlemen whom I then realized was the host to seat me). Inside my mind I was slapping my forehead and calling myself names.
I was told I could sit at the large, round, booth covered in white leather, or I could sit at a pub table. I chose a pub table near the wall. The wall was actually a mirror and I believe it was a two-way mirror. It had that funny thickness and a strange feeling of having eyes behind it. It could have been a two-way mirror or maybe I just have an overactive imagination. I am sure a casino deals with plenty of cheaters so I didn’t feel I was too far off with my assumption.
When the server came for my order I confided that I had never been to a place like this before and I only came to have lunch, but that I might want to try a slot machine on my way out and I asked her if I had to sign up. She said no, that I just put my money right in. I wondered if I needed to purchase tokens (stop laughing, it reminded me a little of Chuck E. Cheese …except this was for grownups) and I asked my server Carol if the machines took dollars. She said, “Yes, and it really likes hundreds.”
This would probably be the only time in my life I would ever do this, so losing one dollar was fine with me. I ordered a cod sandwich and chips and I read Jason’s last text asking me what in the world I was doing in Metropolis. I texted back “driving” so I wouldn’t have to explain myself in a long text. To me, texting is to be short and quick and not for ‘conversations’ that take explanations, but I also was not sure what my husband would think if I said, “I am in a casino contemplating trying out a slot machine” – which would lead to more explaining. I planned to fill him later.
As I looked around, I noticed security camera’s everywhere and, to my surprise a lot of senior citizens. Carol brought my fish sandwich and it was so delicious and worth every overpriced penny!
When she brought me a refill, my second Coke had a ‘stirrer’ in it instead of a straw. I wasn’t sure if it were a mistake and Carol was used to serving alcoholic drinks or if she were trying to ‘slip me a mickey’. I giggled at the thought, but I also sniffed it before I took a sip.
My imagination gets the best of me at times and while I ate, a man walked passed me carrying a Thompson submachine gun in a black case. Maybe he was undercover security or maybe he was with an underground mafia. Or maybe… it was his pool stick.
After I finished eating my sandwich and drinking my two mickeys I had a full bladder and went to the restroom before heading into the gambling arena. Not to get too personal, but in my stall was a sign on the door that read, “Sharps container located on end walls.” My imagination knew that a sinful place such as a casino probably had a lot of intravenous drug users … (and since I had previously worked in the medical field, my second thought was that it was for diabetics who need to check their glucose level). I was almost sure that all those senior citizens couldn’t possibly be using heroin.
As I passed a blackjack table, I thought it was kind of neat – just like in the movies so I snapped a picture with my cell phone and a man at the table said, “You can’t do that!” I asked why, and I guess he saw the under-a-rock dust on my face and he laughed while telling me, “…because I am in the witness protection program and don’t want my picture made.” I pretended to delete it and walked over to the slot machines leaving behind a table of laughter.
The machines were intimidating so I just picked the closest one and found where to feed my one dollar. The machine ate the dollar and then lit up with nonsense. I just hit the big button with my luckiest swat and… nothin’. Was that it? Surely not - not for a whole George Washington! The screen had several commands and one thing I read said to ‘place a bet’ but I wasn’t sure if I would owe more money if I did that and I didn’t know how to place a bet. I wasn’t sure if my turn had ended or not so I gave it one more swift whack and … nothin’.
I got up from the boring heap of flashy metal, deciding that I was no more enlightened than before my attempt to gamble and had I won money, I would have felt the same. This form of fun just doesn’t entice me. I’d much rather be exploring nature.
At least now I could say that I tried it when people tell me, “Oh you HAVE to try it – you’ll love it!” No, I don’t love it, but thanks anyway.
I did however love finding Metropolis and Superman. And on my drive back home, passing real fun – horses. At one farm, the horses were close to the road so I pulled over and watched them playing, rolling and took pictures of their curious look when I approached them. One horse came over to me. Too bad the fence was laced with electricity - we both knew to keep our distance.
It was a great day to explore my surroundings and be home before dark – which Murray time is an hour behind Chattanooga so dark comes pretty early, but I made it home just in time to walk the Greys and wash up before fixing dinner for Superman.
Jen Jeffrey
jen@jenjeffrey.com
Superman