071408

 

Middletown to Collinsville to Camden to Eaton, OH

Monday July 14, 2008

     8:30am  I got 7.41 hours of sleep.

     11:32am  This morning Doreen had taken off and I didn't notice. I cleaned my ass off. I swept the kitchen and did the dishes and stuff. I even swept the staircase. I'm walking to the store now to buy some cigarettes. Tom is supposed to be coming back and he'll have my Leatherman. That's the only thing tying me down. I need my Leatherman. It's mission-critical.
                    
     11:57am  I walked up the Speedway and spent four dollars. I bought a pack of rollies and a couple tornados. I'm walking back.

                     I didn't tell you. I traded Doreen an XL WORLD PEACE THROUGH MARIJUANA shirts for one of her shirts. She gave me one that says, "Thank you for pot smoking." It has a good bible scripture on the back that I want to show my mom.

     1:51pm  Tom and Joe showed up and brought my Leatherman back. I am whole once more. Cool, cool.

     4:50pm  We are finally taking off.

     5:25pm  I just got dropped off by Tom and Joe-nig at 127. Tom is directing me to Celina, for some reason. I'm going to go there and hang out and spread the word. They dropped me off at the BP gas station in Collinsville. I'm going to start walking until somebody picks me up. I don't know.

                     Oh yeah, when I first walked in the gas station I asked them if they had water on a soda fountain. Glenda told me that I could go to the sink, but just then Tom, who lives next door asked me if I wanted ice too. He said he'd go to his house and fill up my bag for me.

     5:31pm  Hell yeah, Tom came back with my bladder filled with ice water. He lives right next door. He asked me if I wanted to the spend the night or take a shower. Dude, hell yeah. See, I didn't take a shower at Doreen's the whole time I was there. They didn't have any hot water because they don't know how to light their pilot light. I was going to suffer a cold shower this morning. I ended up just washing my hair because the water was so cold. My scalp is still itching bad, even thought I got that T-Gel shampoo. Hmm, it's only five thirty. Maybe Tom will smoke me out, hehe.

                     Welcome to Collinsville, hell yeah. See, when I first got there I started telling the cashier Glenda my story. When I walked in her and Tom told me, "We love your shirt." Tom came back and invited me over to his house. I am walking through the grass right now.

     5:53pm  Man, what blatant ignorance I have just encountered. Tom was drinking a beer the whole time I was talking. See, he invited me over and I met his younger son. Thirteen, I'd guess. I gave my introduction and he told me, "I'll listen to you, go ahead." We all sat down in the living room and I started. Right when I say alcohol is ignorance Tom gets all mad telling me, "Don't you see I'm drinking a beer??" I told him yes, and I repeat, alcohol breeds ignorance. People don't listen when they're drinking, just like you aren't this very moment. Thanks for proving me right." Tom got all mad and I took that as my sign to leave. None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free!

                     The coolest shit. I went back to the gas station and got bored. I walked to 127 to start thumbing and these cool-looking kids drive by. I yell, "Got any weed?? I've got five dollars!" They turn around and pull up and tell me, "We can't give you a ride, but we'll smoke you out." Awesome! For the cause, for the cause.

                     What beautiful magic just happened. I was standing there for like less than a minute. These kids drove by and I noticed they went to the gas station and were headed back. When they came back they let me get in and we drove around and smoked a couple bowls. Hell yeah, welcome to Collinsville.

     6:35pm  Dude, I'm going to tell my story to a police officer. This guy just pulled up at the gas station and walked up to me and asked me how I was doing. I don't think he read my shirt. I told him that I was a journalist, a long-distance walker. He asked me how long I had been walking and I told him six years. He told me about some girl he knew who hiked the Appalachian trail. He opened his wallet to put my website in it and I saw his badge. I asked him, "Oh, you're a police officer? I've got a really interesting story I want to tell you." He said he would be right back in walked in the store.

                     I stashed my weed just in case.

                     I had a great presentation with Maxwell, that police officer I told you about. He was all smiles. He agreed with everything I said. When I said marijuana he told me, "That shit should have been legalized a long time ago, but then they wouldn't make any money off of it." That's what everybody tells me. I got the biggest balls of them all! Hehe.

     6:48pm  Maxwell gave me the head's-up not to go into Summersville. He said I'll get shot there or get all my shit stolen.

     7:00pm  I am all loaded up and packed up and I'm ready to rock. I bought me some snacks and I am walking now.

     7:06pm  Damnit, I did it once again. I left my weed. I'm going to walk all the way back to the BP.

     7:12pm  I walked back to the BP and retrieved my Scripture Mints tin of weed. Thanks mom, for that tin. I'm kind of hungry. I sit down and eat and thumb it. Maybe I can get a ride.

     7:23pm  In no-time Tom pulled over for me. I was out there for like maybe ten minutes. He's driving a Jaguar. I appreciate it, Tom. Everybody gets credit.

     7:35pm  I just got delivered to another BP gas station in Camden. I put my shirt on. I had changed it earlier back when I thought I'd be walking, but Tom picked me up.

                   Hell yeah, people here are nice so far. After Tom dropped me off this other guy pulls up and asks me where I'm going. I tell him Celina. He's not going that way but if he was he would've given me a ride. I am at US 127 and Central Avenue. Douglas Street and Central.

                   Tom let me take his picture.  That might not be Tom.  I don't think that's a Jaguar.  It might be that other guy who had pulled up right after Tom dropped me off.  I'm not sure. 

     7:54pm  I am only eight miles away from Eaton, so I've decided I'm going to walk it. I am a long-distance walker, after all. The journal on my website is update to five days ago.

     8:11pm  Coming up on Camden Road. I've been giving the peace sign to all the cars.

                   About to pass the Lake Camden Marsh House. I took a picture of it.

     8:51pm  Passing Seven Mile Road/Mann Road.
 
     8:52pm  I'm going to take a one-hour breather. I'm going to sit down and smoke a cigarette.

     9:04pm  I am leaving from my break.

                   Whoa, I just found me sixteen brand new loose cigarettes on the ground! Sweet, only four missing from the pack. Groundscore! Marlboro Lights.

                   Oh yeah, earlier one of those kids kicked me down a little bit of weed. I took a hit before I left the BP and one right now. I have one left afterwards.

                   I found two more cigarettes! Eighteen now.

                   Oh, there's nineteen, twenty, oh wait. Twenty one? That's weird. I must've miscounted them.

                   I don't know what time it is because I can't see my watch. It's a little after ten, I think. I'm taking a breather at Consolidated Road. I think I should've walked eight miles by now. I'm going to sit down and rest and smoke one of these cigarettes I found. I found a whole pack altogether!

     10:17pm  I am taking off from my break.

     10:31pm  Passing the Eaton Corporation Limit sign.

     10:40pm  Passing some store called Future Comforts.

                     City of Eaton, founded in 1806. I'd take a picture of the big water tower, but it's dark.

     10:48pm  Coming up on the 732 junction. I see a gas station.

     11:02pm  I already made my bed. I walked a little further and noticed the public library is right here. Only the drive-through at the gas station was open, so I couldn't tell the cashier my story. I figured I'd find a place close to the library to crash so I could check my email and update my website in the morning. I still have to add some html files. I found a place close by where I was able to trample these branches down and made a little corridor for myself. I put my rain poncho down and made my bed.

     11:37pm  Alright, I brushed my teeth and I'm going to sleep. Goodnight, everybody. I wonder what's going to happen tomorrow.

Next day..