Joyful Transformation

The rain kept us from racing but we still have some stories to tell.

Terri has hit the high points on her blog; somewhat amusing to me is the parts that she left out. Even though we live by the mantra “If you don’t go, you don’t know” I will attempt to fill in some of the gaps.

First story is the map of the city on the sidewalk after we emerge from the underground mall, that is NOT underground Atlanta….We are innocently looking at this map trying to figure out which way we should go to get to the real “Underground Atlanta”. A friendly and helpful guy in a windbreaker that said “Jesus Cares” helped us to better read the map and figure out just where to turn. Why “thank-you” we said in our sweetest southern voices. “Could you spare me a couple of dollars to maybe buy a hamburger or something” he replies. Stunned that information cost money in this southern town Terri whips out a cool crisp one dollar bill to feed this man for a week. I, understanding that if real hunger were an issue offered him over half of a perfectly good chocolate milk shake (there were no strange crunchy things found in mine). Well, either my germs looked bad or hunger was not the real issue because he turned up his nose and shook his head like I had offended him somehow. As he continued to look at me expectantly I thrust my hand into my purse and came out with TWICE as much as Terri. (you know, I have to one up her at SOMETHING!)

After we walked by a guitarist playing the one line he knew of “Very Superstitious” we proceeded to enter the real Underground Atlanta. We soon discovered that there was nothing going on that you couldn’t find in any mall in America (well except maybe the Tarot card readings) we then emerged outside of Johnny Rockets. The song playing on the loud speaker was the classic by Eric Carmen and The Raspberries “Go All The Way”. As I am singing the words Terri says “Oh is that what that says, I thought it said Please Go AWAAAY”. Folks you can’t make this stuff up, that blonde stuff is not an act.

We then speak politely to a statue of a man and a boy and find our way to the Visitor’s Bureau. We are sure they can direct us to some live music for the evening. This lady could only tell us what we couldn’t do, how far we would have to drive to hear any good music, and how we could go see Cats or walk through the park (She loves the park). Well while I was chatting up this very epitome of an anti-Atlanta tourist person, Terri is studying the map. She has plotted a course back to our hotel. Problem was to take her route we would have had to crawl over a 10 foot fence and then jump over a line of dumpsters. We opted to go back the way we came.

After convincing Terri that even if she could outrun the vendor in the wheelchair, her blonde hair might stand out a little on this particular sidewalk, we proceeded on to the Hotel.

We couldn’t find any Karaoke or any live music; but as always we managed to have a good time and were in bed by 10:00 p.m. (that is Eastern Time, so by our time we were in bed at 9:00!!)Yep, two wild and crazy girls!!