Day 5 Be an Accountant
I had my first couch surfing experience. It was crazy. I pulled up to Randy’s house late, a little after midnight. Randy is a middle aged African American and his best friend is a white male with swastika tattoos on his arms. He had just gotten off work as I got to his house and he was gracious enough to take me in even after the short notice I gave him. He was standing outside with his friend when I walked up his driveway with my backpack on. The warm smell of cannabis was wafting through the air. I shook their hands and without hesitation he showed me into his home. I sat down and talked with him and his friend in the front room for a few minutes.
Tall cans of Bud Light sat half drunk on the coffee table. His friend pulled out a vaporizer and a jar of weed, made a remark about how crazy Randy was for letting strangers stay at his place and walked outside on the balcony to smoke. After a few words he showed me where I was going to sleep. He had offered me his own room and he was planning on sleeping on the couch that night. I started to say that it wasn’t necessary but he insisted. I gratefully accepted his room. I looked around a bit. There were dragons in his room, odd books with “Lucifer” in their titles and other strange things decorating his shelves and walls.
Not wanting to sleep on his bed I took to the floor and closed my eyes. I could hear the two of them talking outside until I fell asleep, the last thing I remember hearing was something about a mother $%#ing tarantula crawling into someone’s mouth while that person slept and that person eating it in his sleep. You know, I think a lot of people would find this situation very uncomfortable, but I really wasn’t too nervous, just tired and grateful for the hospitality.
I woke up the next morning thinking about the Space Needle and how I was going to be there later that day. I gathered my things and headed down stairs. Randy was in his front room, shirtless and watching a Yogi on TV talk about the essence of being and the purpose of life. Intrigued, because, if you don’t know this about me yet, those two things are practically all I think about, I sat down and asked him if he followed any Indian religions. I was stunned by his answer.
He didn’t but he had a lot to say on the whole matter. I just listened delightedly, only occasionally chiming in. Long story short, I had one of the most interesting conversations that I’ve ever had in my life. I didn’t really feel that it was necessary to bring up Mormonism, but we just had a good theological discussion throughout. At the end of it I asked him if he had any words of wisdom for me as I departed. He said, “Be an accountant,” than immediately pulled out a piece of paper that he had made with a little diagram on it of many of the main facets in life we should keep an accounting of. It was very interesting. After telling me all about it I slipped it into my back pack and started to head for the door. He was going to work as I was leaving so he followed me out. I shook his hand and thanked him for the hospitably and as I was heading toward my car he asked in a soft tone, “you’re not Mormon are you?”
Surprised, I said that I was and that I didn’t think many people would recognize me as one. He said, “me either.”
Turns out Randy is an active member of the LDS church. In his driveway he began to cite Doctrine and Covenant verse to me to verify everything we were talking about just moments earlier! I couldn’t believe it.
After being blown away by the character of this man he eventually left for his work and I left to continue my trek throughout the states. I made it to the Space Needle a little after 5pm I think. And let me tell you, my experience in Seattle was just so much better than my experience in San Francisco. First of all, without even searching I accidently pulled into a very affordable parking area with plenty of open spots right next to the Space Needle. I made my way through a very artsy city block and just felt at ease with everything around me. I purchased a ticket and made my way to the top.
The ticket was cheap, the line was short, the elevator girl was cute, and the Seattle Dog was delicious. I even made some Peruvian friends at the top. They were an old couple eating ice-cream that had asked to share the table I was sitting at. They were just ecstatic that I was traveling and they began to tell me all their own traveling stories.
You know, the sites truly are incredible, but what is making this trip for me is the people. Everyone has so many things to share and is eager to share them if you open up to them. Everyone has their own outlook on life and to me that is beautiful. It is what makes the world dynamic and interesting live in.
Well, that’s about all I have for tonight. I am currently somewhere in Washington in the back seat of my car, tired and ready for bed. Goodnight and thank you.