Planes. Trains & Pugs

Today I took Tallulah the Gypsy Child to Union Station in DC to catch a train bound for her new adventure. We had planned a nice last hour together in this place she considers to be magnificent & full of wonder & excitement. I had already dubbed it a big mall with a train running through it, but was pacified by the idea of a little more time with my daughter while eating a cinnamon roll the size of my head. Well, that was the plan anyway. What really happened is after getting there a half hour later than estimated & nerves shot from not being able to see street signs & not adjusting very smoothly to traffic lights being on poles on the side instead of overhead... parking was non-existant. So I left Tallulah standing on the sidewalk with a cart piled high with all her worldy possessions, waved a quick farewell and got back in the car & drove away, much to the relief of every cab driver in DC. As neither one of us has a cell phone, I can only hope she is actually on the train and safe. I missed her immediately. Mostly because she had read the directions and navigated us into the city and I was now on my own to get out. :) After a very interesting creative loopy maneuver, it soon became clear that I was not going to be seeing any of the first 4 streets listed on the directions so I stuffed them under the seat and started following the direction of the afternoon sun...west. Other than not recognizing anything and getting to see some very...colorful sections of our Nation's Capital I moved along fairly smoothly until I got stuck in a crosswalk while waiting for the traffic in front of me to go thru the light. I had a long line of traffic behind me, obviously comforted by my apparent navigational skills. Finally a nice old woman comes up and screeches, "THOSE CARS ARE PARKED! They ain't goin' no where! They at church!" Oh. So me & my parade switch lanes and off we go. At one intersection I lost my bearings due to #1) very tall buildings blocking the sun & #2) the sheer terror of having the schizophrenic homeless drug addict standing beside my open car window begin a very loud and violent battle with his demons. While trying to remember to breathe and hoping they spelled my name right on page 27 bottom right hand corner of tomorrow's newspaper, I couldn't make an intelligent decision whether to go straight or turn left or right. Just then I look across the street and along comes a beautiful little Pug! I forgot all about Demon Dude. My entire body relaxed & my spirit calmed and I said to myself, "Hey little buddy. Which way do I go? Can you get me out of this place?" He turned his little face and looked right at me, stopped and then turned left. So did I. At the next intersection I knew where I was, headed west & hightailed it outta there! I just love when God does that. Takes the time to send me a pug with a great sense of direction and telepathic powers! What are the odds? Once outside the city, I pulled over at what they called a "Scenic Overlook" to unpry my fingers from the steering wheel and to shake for awhile. I got out and sat on the rock wall to check out the "scenery". Across the river I saw 11 kayaks LINED UP WAITING for a turn to come to shore at a little dock. The water was covered with boats, the little nature area on the other side was crawling with people, they were practically running into each other & walking the trails in lines. Flocks of boats and herds of people everywhere. The traffic was zooming a few feet behind me, planes were roaring across the sky, then a huge loud helicopter flew right in front of me not a hundred feet from my face. Sweet Jesus in the morning get me the hell out of here, I just want to go home. I took every road that said west until I started recognizing road names again. I cheered when I saw a sign that said "Frederick" & I practically peed my pants when I saw the words "Harper's Ferry". I was gonna drive straight to the DMV and turn in my license and call Gaston to come get me, but it was Sunday and they were closed. I never want to leave my mountain or my river ever again. Tallulah did not get her passion for travel from me! I love you, Tallulah. Be happy in your new life, new job & new home. I know you will add many more friends to your already huge collection. I know God will bless you & use your talent to bring beauty & art to your new ministry. When you come home we are having that cinnamon roll. Be kind to pugs & other furry friends as you may be entertaining angels unaware. :) We all love you & miss you. And I hope that was the right station.