On the road by Mihič
Wrote something small in English:
I proclaimed hitchhiking officially dead in America. At least on the east. One needs to keep his appearance tidy at all costs. So I looked ok but didn't smell ok. I hid my odor underneath my three clothes I had. My shower rate was three times per month. Plus one improvised bath where I had to pour water on me in the cold morning. But I had all the dew I wanted. On my journey I meet only two other hitchhikers. One was running from the law to Florida (public intoxication) and the other had a shower rate one per month. But it's not a problem cause the universal law says: the less you have, the more you appreciate it. My initial plan was to hitch all the way down to the Gulf. And my coworker Chad helped me launch this trip from north of Ohio. The first guy who stopped me drove his car back on the road 300 yards. A nice old carpenter who helped building houses in Haiti and Southern America. I quickly got rid of fear and paranoia when strangers stopped and gave me a ride. I asked all the people I was driving with if they know any actual cases of hitchhiking that went wrong. One needs to be real and trust in statistics. The only people who knew any were policeman and one Shaft–style detective. And for the first week driving in a police car was my daily routine. Because of my blue eyes and blond hair I was labeled a Swede and thus had no problems. They even advised me where to sleep, in which countries not to go and gave me rides. Tent and sleeping bag were guarantee of independence. I walked through the Amish land and go to know some of their philosophy and way of live. I slept in a youth Mennonite commune and discovered their beliefs. Although the tourists are present you can walk the back roads and see some real life. Children playing in front of the school just bashfully stared at me so I returned the staring. And I could eat all the late apples and pears I wanted. It's a diverse land with people living in different decades. There was nothing better than sitting on a lonely country road in the flat Ohio farmland just reading my Dishwasher book (Dishwasher Pete: a man who almost busted suds in all 50 states; but the force of love prevented him from completing the task). Every five minutes a car drove by and I stood up. Sometimes I was so weak from not eating that I just couldn't stand up. Moving in the country side gave me a glimpse at some of the most unusual people. I was riding with fisherman, hunters, carpenters, ex soldiers, unemployed and people who were silent all the time. There are also a lot of gay people. Common were also Vietnam veterans who weren't afraid of nobody. One guy picked me up straight from prison. And another's friends and family said “Get away from him fast, he's gonna rob you.” I've noticed a lot of weed in the countryside. They use it like a folk medicine. And they are also prepared to eat the joint right away if police shows up. In Columbus coworker Bryce gave me a chance to see a little of a city student life. I attended some lectures on Ohio State. But I had to go south, night were clear and thus cold. My Bangladesh sleeping bag in a water tent were not let me down. In Kentucky I first saw American poverty in some nowhere backland. I noticed that out of bigger cities I always get rides from either foreigners or some “unconventional” people. City folk are scared (of movies). So I waited close to 7 hours to leave Lexington, KY. And when I started to pack my things a red sports car stops. I sit in and introduce myself to Sami from Saudi Arabia. He doesn't say a lot and has a back window broken, because his friend was shooting when attacked. When asked about his job, he says he's selling some stuff. We go to his place and he enters the house through a window. Inside everything is messed on the floor and there's no furniture except for a couch and a TV. I mentally prepare to fight if attacked. But I still had some trust in him. We go to his friends and the same thing. This time no furniture at all. At the end I got to know that some of them are students from Saudi Arabia. This country is so rich that it pays scholarships to about 60.000 students just in USA. They host me in a kind Muslim tradition and we all get together and eat with our hands. Because of lack of furniture I sleep on the floor. I change my plan and head east, cross the Appalachian Mountains. When my motivation was on its lowest level Cindy became my mother for the day and helped me go on. Hitchhiking is a great way to meet a lot of really good hearted people. I left the states with ten dollars in my pocket and most of the time I was hungry. But from time to time I was given some fuel. West Virginian mountains were great and slept in the woods but discovered that the whole America is fenced. And felt that American forests have much more plants with thorns. As I was crossing the Appalachians it became really cold. Long and cold nights were pure suffering. In times like that it's great to have a lot of memories of the good old times that help you overcome the night. I saw that I was going crazy so finally I got a good sleeping bag. My problems were over, I was suddenly the happiest man in South Carolina. A Canadian who introduced Coca–Cola, MTV and vodka to Indian market drove me south. In his youth years he was a DJ and hitched to his shows and back (4 AM!). Today he is doing charity in Florida. In Charlotte, NC I meet I true hitchhiker Jack. The last of the Mohicans. Today he told me everybody raids freight trains. So we waited and froze at the yard for hours. When the train to Atlanta started to move, we moved as well. We thought this is it, but the trains stopped. Jack was also spotted. Get off he said. I stood up and hold my backpack in my hands. And than it happened. The train started to move in another direction. The next thing moment I was hanging off the train between two wagons near the wheels. My glasses almost fell of and I was barely holding my backpack which was almost on the ground. I couldn't pull myself up and Jack at first didn't hear me. If I would be standing a few inches away I could never written this text, because I would be split in half. But as always luck was there for me. When we hid in the thorn bushes, Jack couldn't get out. Our plan filed miserably. I was taken back north by an ex Green Berets who cutting throats of Sandinistas with a garrote in a then top secret operation in El Salvador. Small and skinny but though because he grew up in rough neighborhoods of Brooklyn. He said he just saved me from a tornado that was about to hit the crossroad were I was standing. In the evening he dropped me on the edge of Washington DC. And I spend there a week living in a tent on the outskirts of the city. I surveyed the area I found out it was save to leave all my stuff in the bush. It must have bin strange for the people when a disheveled guy with a plastic bag asked them question after question in this manner. Where am I? What time it is? What day and date is it today? What's this neighborhood like? Where can I get a shower? What's the weather gonna be like? How far is downtown? Some people just started to walk away from me. I washed my clothes in a nearby Holiday Inn and headed downtown. Every day I visited free Smithsonian Museums and then explored the city. This was the time of my life. I spend three days just in the National Museum of American History discovering and reading everything. At the last Metro station I was the only white guy who went off. I was there for the elections, for the marathon, for Halloween and for Jon Stewart's rally for Sanity. That day escalators on some Metro stations broke down and people went flying down in a free fall. I took a bus to New York and slept on a bus station. The next day I must have been walking for at least 12 hours all a cross the city. But it was so interesting that even my legs were stunned. Throughout my journey I didn't have enough clothes so constant moving was the only solution to the heat emitting problem. At Times Square I was caught on tape of a future Hollywood movie and I cheered at the New York marathon (to participate you must first enroll in a lottery). The last night I walked through Queens to La Guardia Airport and slept there. Because I had only my big bag pack I carried with my on the planes a yellow plastic bag with holes. And by the people's faces I noticed they weren't at ease and wandered what I'm carrying with me. In Munich, Germany I was waiting for my luggage, but in fact it was already on the next plane. When I realized that I ran across the airport but the lady at check–in said I can't go, that I'm to late. I pleaded and pleaded and finally she gave up. I sprinted across the complex, the bus drove just me, I jumped on the Slovenian plane and we went home!
Since I was constrained with the English language I couldn't write so well. So every other sentence starts with I went… And it's hard to put all the stories in a small report like this. But all in all, I had a great time working and traveling in United States. And all the people I meet helped me a lot and made my traveling much better and happier. Thank you! And as they said: God bless America.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Zaključena in spravljena v žep je še ena pustolovščina. Štopanje po Ameriki je uradno umrlo. Toda z navzven urejenim imiđem (dober PR) in navznoter prikritim smradom (z večimi plastmi oblek) se še vedno da potovati po tej ogromni celini in filozofiji njenih ljudi. Stara zgodba se prične junija 2010 in gre nekako takole. Kot poje Zablujena generacija "Po mojih žilah teče kerozin," vbrizgu kerozina v motor reaktivnega letala sledi vbrizg adrenalina v žile. Zato sem si po pristanku v Clevelandu prisegel, da bom postal pilot. Odpeljan sem bil na mali otoček South Bass Island sredi Eriejskega jezera (Lake Erie), kjer sem v restavraciji odslužil svojo pogodbo. Delo mi je bilo všeč, posebej sem se navezal na pomivanje posode. Moj vzornik v tem je bil in je še vedno Dishwasher Pete. Temu pearl diver-ju je skoraj uspelo pomivati posodo vseh petdesetih zveznih državah Amerike. A uresničitev načrta mu je preprečila ljubezen, ki ga je odnesla v Amsterdam, kjer še danes popravlja kolesa. Po stresnem delu na liniji pride posoda prav, saj smisli odletijo kamorkoli bookiraš let. Vmes lahko tudi poješ (se učiš pesmi), plešeš (na mokrem plesišču), delaš akrobacije (z noži, krožniki in krpami), se poljubno opečeš in porežeš ter mečeš hrano (na) stran (zadnji mesec sem jo popolnoma prenehal kupovati). Čeprav sem ob gostem prometu končal s pomivanjem okoli poLnoči, so se nadure delale tudi kasneje. Kajti v postelji sem sanjal, da pomivam posodo v temi in težil naj prižejo luči, saj ne vidim, ako je posoda čista! In ker nikoli nisem sanjal morilce in pošasti, so bile to verjetno najhujše sanje, kar sem jih kdajkoli imel. Zanimivo je bilo tudi cvreti, kjer si se lahko s pomfrijem, čipsom in onion ring-i podmazal z oljem dokler je šlo. Čeprav ima 2/3 Amerikancev preveliko maso, smo delali kot nori. Skoraj vse spada v meat (burger, steak, riba, raki...) and potatoes (pomfri, čips, redskins, pire...). Ob hitrem in vsakodnevnem delu sem pozabil na domovino in se popolnoma vživel v novo življenje. Za proste dneve sem raziskoval otok, plezal po drevesih, bral biografijo Theodorja Roosevelta, plaval, obiral jabučinke in delal marmelade ter užival v mirnem življenju. Kmalu sem se spoprijateljil tudi s policijo, saj me je le ta ujela, ko sem hotel iz South Bass Islanda hotel plavati na Middle Bass Island in nazaj. Kljub temu, da sem jim povedal, da je vse v redu in da želim le plavati so me kot ribo potegnili na čoln in v kopalkah pripeljali na policijo in pred ljudi iz Department of Homeland Security-a. Ker so mi plavalno pot pogostokrat sekali gliserji in trajekti so me hoteli kaznovati, da ogrožam svoje življenje. A nekako sem jih prepričal, da sem neveden a hkrati veden (statistično bi bilo težko, da bi me kdo zbil, praktično pa je bilo strašljivo). Njim se obljubil nikoli več, sebi pa da bom enkrat le preplaval tiste pol milije v vsako smer. Svojo željo sem zato moral izpolniti ob pol enih zjutraj v razburkanem morju. Ladje so zamenjali visoki valovi, veter in mrzla voda. Čeprav sem skoraj potonil, sem se le vrnil ob štirih zjutraj. Turisti so sčasoma prepustili otok jeseni. Sezona se je končala, ko smo na zadnji dan spekli, skuhali in ocvrli vse kar smo imeli (burgerje smo si morali "sposoditi" od drugih restavracij), za polovične cene a ob polni pari. Namesto oblek sem v ruzak stlačil nekaj corn flakes-ov in oves-a in kot zadnji tujec ujel trajekt 10. oktobra.
Ta zemljevid je še iz pred vojne (državljanske), zato geometer ni vedel kam naj nariše West Virginia-o.
Moja prva vožnja je bil sodelavec Chad, ki me je v malem mestecu Tiffin lepo sprejel in pomagal odpluti. Domov sem poslal nekaj več kot 4000 dolarjev, zase pa pridržal desetkrat manj. Iz te vsote sem si kupil enoprostorski šotor in enoprostorsko spalko (oboje made in Asia). Starcu sem pokosil travo in si prislužil 10 dolarjev ter prisustvoval na lokalnem srečanju stranke Tea Party. In potem se je pričelo. Prvi človek, ki me je pobral se je ustavil prepozno. Zato se je vrnil in po cesti vozil 100 m vzvratno. Severni del Ohio-a me je navdušil in tipična scena je bila sledeča. Sedel sem ob osamljeni cesti in v vetru bral knjigo. Levo polja, desno polja, zadaj polja, spredaj pa cesta. Nikjer nikogar, a povsod ravnina. Avto mi je obrnil stran v knjigi vsakih pet minut. Ponavadi so me pobirali tesarji ali bivši marinci iz Vietnama, ki jih ni bilo strah, čeprav se je vojna končala pred več kot 35 leti. Udaril sem marš skozi deželo Amišev. Medtem, ko sem jaz opazoval njihovo življenje, so otroci v šoli strmeli vame. Amiši so ena izmed najhitreje rastočih skupin na svetu (+4 % letno), a med njimi vlada izjemna pestrost in iz tega sledijo spori. Nekateri živijo v 18. stoletju, drugi v 19., spet tretji v 20. Spoznal sem tudi Menonite, ki so modernizirana verzija Amišev, ko sem prespal v njihovi mladinski komuni. Pot me je vodila na jug med podeželske ljudi, ki so v avtih molčali, se drli, pili, kadili travo, mi prodajali protibolečinske tablete, molili in peli (nek mladenič je celo stalno prižigal motor, saj se je ta vsakih nekaj minut ugasnil). Jaz sem v tipičnem ameriškem okolju - avtu le poslušal njihove zgodbe, jih spraševal kar me je zanimalo in opazoval širne svetove. Prvi teden potovanja je bila vsak dan obvezna vožnja v policijskem avtu. A officerji so bili prijazni in mi svetovali kam iti spat in kam ne iti ("you don`t wanna go in that country). Spal sem pod mostom, v šumi (tudi sredi goste šume in strmih hribov so obvezne ograje!), na poljih, pod tovornjakom, na zelenicah javnih zgradb... V glavnem mestu Ohia - Columbusu me je gostil sodelavec Bryce, ki mi je predstavil tipično študentsko življenje, obloženo z ameriškim nogometom. Obiskal sem predavanja na Ohio State University in raziskoval kampus. Prohibicija ni umrla leta 1933 s predsednikom Delanom Rooseveltom in ekonomsko krizo. Saj še danes nisem mogel dokončati piva na sovoznikovem sedežu, dokler nismo vrgli ključe dobesedno iz avta (kljub temu, da nisem niti imel izpita). Dežela svobode je hkrati dežela škrniclov, kjer vsi skrivajo svoj booze. Iz Colobusa me je odpeljal človek, ki je ravnokar prišel iz zapora. Nadaljevali pa so razni ribiči, lovci, fabriški delavci, brezposelni... V Kentucky-u mi je prvič ustavila sama ženska, ki je v jutru videla da zmrzujem na cesti in se poskušam ogreti s hojo proti jugu. Ko me je nek mladenič pripeljal do svojih sorodnikov in prijateljev so mi ti dejali naj zbežim od njega, saj me bo oropal. Prvič sem bil izpostavljen ameriški revščini. Ljudje, ki delajo do 16 ur na dan da preživijo, avti pobarvani z rjo, brezposelni rojeni v krizi, propadle ceste in podrte hiše. V Lexington-u sem srečal prvega soštoparja, ki je pred zakonom bežal na Florido. Medtem, ko sem jaz štopal 6 ur, je on ob cesti držal napis v stilu "Ne bom lagal, zbiram za pijačo." Ob tem je seveda pil dobljene pive. Ko je sonce že končno obupalo in zašlo, mi je med pospravljanjem ustavil sportski avto z Arabcem. Kljub temu, da je vse kazalo da je nek mafijaš (od streljanja razbito zadnje steklo, razmetano stanovanje brez pohištva), me je seznanil s svojimi kolegi - študenti iz Savdske Arabije. Njihova vlada financira študij približno 60.000 študentom v ZDA! Oni so me ugostili po muslimansko in me učili arabsko, jaz pa njih angleško. Ker po pol dneva nisem našel vožnje na jug sem se razočarano obril na vzhod. V zraku je paranoja, v 90. letih so imeli res hude zločine in zlorabe, začinili pa so jih še z nekvalitetnimi štoparskimi grozljivkami. Moja dolžnost je bila spreminjati to mišljenje. Moralo mi iz tal pobralo nekaj dobrih ljudi iz Apalačov, kjer sem preživel naslednjih nekaj dni. Ob prepričanju, da mi debitna kartica ni delovala in majhni vsoti za nujne primere, si ves mesec nisem kupil nobene hrane. Čeprav sem bil večino časa lačen, so mi ljudje občasno ponudili tudi kaj za pod zob (fast food). Zaužil sem toliko, da sem lahko hodil največ kakšne štiri ure na dan. Negativna posledica je bila tudi, da zaradi šibkosti nisem mogel kaj preveč stati in štopati. Kar je še podaljšalo že tako dolge čakalne čase. A skozi prelepo pokrajino West Virgine sem počasi napredoval prozi vzhodu. Čim prej sem hotel na jug, saj so noči postale nedopustljivo dolge in mrzle. V Bangladešu izgleda ni tako mrzlo, zato je bila spalka namesto za minus narejena za plus. Neprespane noči polne trpljenja so se pričele kopičiti. Čutil sem, da se mi pričenja trgati. Začel sem se bati in sovražiti noči. Prišel sem do svoje naravne meje. Ni šlo več naprej, zato sem sklenil kupiti novo spalno vrečo. Tokrat račjo kvaliteto iz Kitajske. Čeprav se že dolgo nisem stuširal sem se peljal z bogatim teksaškim odvetnikom, bivšim DJ-em, ki je pripeljal MTV in Coca-Colo v Indijo in črnskim detektivom (Shaft), ki dela tudi za letalstvo. V glavnem mestu South Caroline Columbia-i sem se obril na sever. Malo sem se še sprehodil po jugu potem pa me je pred tornadom rešil bivši pripadnik zelenih baretk, ki je sodeloval v tajnih operacijah v El Salvadorju, in me odpeljal vse do Washingtona. Tam sem ves teden živel v šotoru v solidni črnski soseski in z metrojem vsak dan hodil downtown na zastonj Smithsonion-ve muzeje in se klatil naokoli. Videl sem Washingtonski maraton, sodeloval na protestu Jon Stewart`s Rally for Sanity, kjer je več kot 200.000 ljudi napravilo najbolj originalne plakate in table v stilu: "S tem napisom nisem hotel sporočiti nič." Metro je dosegal rekorde, z njim pa tudi tekoče stopnice. Zavore slednjih so pod maso ljudi popustile in vsi sodelujoči so se spustili navzdol, več kot dva nadstropja, v prostem padu. Verjetno so zamudili svoj vlak. Ko sem ravno spoznal mesto, sem ga zamenjal za New York in se drl na njihovem maratonu (če hočeš sodelovati, je potrebno najprej na žrebanje). Izračunal sem, da sem prvi dan hodil gor in dol po mestu okoli 12 ur. Noge nastaviš na avtomatskega pilota, oči pa vandrajo po mestu. V nekem trenutku sem bil celo ujet v kader bodočega Hollywoodskega filma. Na svoj zadnji dan sem se skozi Queens ponoči peš odpravil na letališče in tam prespal skupaj z lokalnim brezdomcem. Ker nisem imel nobenega manjšega nahrbtnika sem po aerodromih hodil s strgano rumeno vrečko. Ker sem bil v Munchen-u prepozno me niso več pustili na letalo. A po vztrajnem moledovanju sem le odtekel svoj zadnji šrpint. Busar je peljal le mene, vrata so se zaprla, notri pa slovenske Adriine stevardese z Delom. To je to, sem si mislil. Iz Nemčije sem prišel domov prej kot iz Viča v popoldanski gužvi. Pustolovščina se je zaključila. Še malo nazaj sem sedel sam sredi Times Square-a in opazoval množice, danes pa hodim po gostilnah in razlagam ovo štorijo. Srečno!
Naslednje poglavje bom napisal poleti.
11/20/10 | Posted by mihic | Category Razno
6 comments | Permalink |


