LA Part 4

Thursday, April 20, 2000: between Calvin and Winnfield, Louisiana

Walking on the back roads between Jonesboro and Winnfield today, I met a man named Herschel and his wife Lucille, fishing on the Dugdemona River. I love to walk by people who are fishing, because it gives me the opportunity to take off my pack, have a seat, ask the simple question, "Are you catchin' anything?" and only under the rarest of circumstances will anything but a good conversation follow. Well today, a good conversation followed, and Herschel and Lucille turned out to be very nice folks. When I told them that I would be walking though Union Hill on my way to Winnfield, Herschel explained that I would be walking right by his house and invited me to stay with them this evening. Union Hill was still about eight miles away, so I accepted his offer and told them that I would be there around sunset.

I continued my walk through the small town of Calvin, and about four miles later reached a little community called Union Hill. When a nice lady named Charzell came out and invited me up to her house for tea cakes, I became aware of the fact that because I had met Herschel today, there were folks in Union Hill who were already expecting me. Charzell makes fabulous tea cakes --the best I've ever had.

I arrived at Herschel and Lucille's house around sunset, and met most of the family. Their son (Michael) and daughters (Kim and Pam) live close by, and so the house was teeming with grandchildren and neighbor kids as well. Everyone was expecting me. Herschel told me to bring my things inside, showed me my room, told me to make myself at home, and said, "As long as you're here with us, you'll be treated just like one of the family." It usually takes longer than fifteen minutes for me to be adopted into a family, but today that's all it took. Herschel is an extraordinarily kind man, and I have been adopted into a very kind family. Everyone has made me feel welcome to be here, and since they have asked me to stay for the weekend, my plans are to do just that.

Monday, April 24, 2000: Union Hill, Louisiana

I spent the three-day Easter weekend here in Union Hill with my adopted family. Herschel and Lucille's home is a popular gathering place for their kids, grandkids, and neighbor kids, and consequently my weekend was filled with family and many games of pool, dominoes, Uno, chess, and checkers. On Friday, we all piled in the back of Herschel's pickup and went out to a neighbor's pond for some fishing. On Saturday, we piled in the van and went to Alexandria for an afternoon of Chuck E. Cheese and a trip to the zoo to celebrate Mookie's eighth birthday.

I don't remember very many dull moments this weekend. I tried to hide out a few times to work on my website, but the kids would always find me. I said goodbye to them as they got on the school bus this morning, and the house seems so quiet now. I can still hear Mookie saying, "Mister Tom, will you play checkers with me?" I am going to miss them.

Last night, Lucille made sure that I fully understood the fact that I will always have a home here with them in Union Hill. Always. I haven't been a part of a large family like this or been around so many kids in quite awhile, and I just loved it. Family is very important in this home. Herschel told me this weekend, "I have everything that I want in life right here." I have watched, learned from, and gratefully been a part of what he has this weekend, and I can tell you that it is something very special.

Today, I'm continuing the walk south towards Alexandria. Between Alexandria and me lies the Kisatchie National Forest and about fifty miles of Forest Service roads that I plan to be walking the next four to five days. It seems like forever since I spent four or five days in a row walking through the woods, camping out, and sleeping in my tent. It actually hasn't happened yet in the state of Louisiana.

I have been taking it very slow the past few days. On Monday night, I was struck with a chest cold. (As everyone who knows me sighs and says, "He gets sick more than anyone I know." I said it, too.) What can I do? So, I have just been walking about eight miles a day and spending the rest of my time reading, resting, and sitting in the woods. I don't feel that bad. I am just walking down the roads and sitting in the woods coughing all the time.

The good news is that the Kasatchie National Forest has been providing an excellent atmoshere for serenity. I have been absolutely loving the weather and my time in the woods the past few days --coughing or not. The communing with God and nature part has been so good. Certain parts of the forest are closed to vehicles, and I actually went one whole day without any human interaction whatsoever. I did talk to a squirrel, though.

I plan to reach Pineville/Alexandria tomorrow, where I will finally start walking more in an eastern direction instead of the familiar southern direction that I have been traveling the past few months. I hope to be crossing the Mighty Mississippi River in a couple weeks. That should be exciting for me. I haven't had a geographical event of that magnitude since the Continental Divide in Colorado.

A sixty-three year old man named Charlie who I met at the clinic answered that question. He offered to let me set up my tent next to his mobile home, and that is where I have called home this weekend. Charlie is a very colorful character, and as I try to keep walkingtom.com a family-friendly site, I won't be able to share some of his most memorable quotes.

He has been very nice to me, but some of the ideas that I hear Charlie express now and then would indicate that he is not very happy about the rest of the world. To be honest, sometimes he can be so grumpy that it literally cracks me up, I have to laugh out loud, and it usually makes him smile. We have had some good times, and I really appreciate what he has done for me.

Thursday, April 27, 2000: Dry Prong, Louisiana

Just a quick update from the Dry Prong Public Library: Dry Prong has a population of about 700 people. It has no stoplight, or even a flashing caution light, but their library has four computers connected to the internet. Who would have thought? That wacky Bill Gates and his efforts to get every public library in the country connected to the internet sure helps me out quite often. They even have "Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation" mouse-pads at this particular library. Thanks Bill.

Monday, May 1, 2000: Pineville, Louisiana

I arrived in Pineville on Friday afternoon and went to a free clinic that someone I met had recommended. If you ever need to go to the free clinic in Pineville, and you don't want them to hassle you about a proof of income that you don't have, or the fact that you are not a resident of Louisiana; just walk in with a large backpack, after not bathing for five days, and cough a lot. A doctor will see you for free, after you wait for a couple of hours.

The doctor said that I had a chest infection. She gave me a prescription for antibiotics and told me not to walk for two or three days. I was expecting her to say that. I had quite a few "Why is this happening to me?" moments the night before, lying in my tent, feeling very sick, while it was pouring down rain for five hours. I just didn't have any more "Why is this happening to me's?" left in me. Only "Where am I going to rest for a few days?" was the question now.

I have talked to several people in the past month who have moved to Louisiana from other parts of the country. They have told me of their first Spring in Louisiana, and how it was filled with respiratory infections, pneumonia's, allergy shots, and various sufferings. Although it doesn't make me feel much better right now, at least I don't feel so abnormal. I guess it is all part of my Louisiana experience.

Wednesday, May 3, 2000: Union Hill, Louisiana

Yesterday, I finished a course of antibiotics that I started on Friday, but still didn't feel much relief. There was rain predicted for all week in Louisiana, and sleeping outside in my tent would certainly be risking this chest infection progressing into much worse. I have never had pneumonia, and I don't really care to. I needed a house, a bed, and a mother to fix me chicken noodle soup and feel my forehead now and then. So, I called the last mother that I had met who said, "Call us if you need anything."

Tonight, I am staying with Herschel and Lucille in Union Hill. I still don't feel like my condition has improved much physically, but I am definitely in the right place to get better. Lucille has put me on "lock down," which means she won't let me go outside (she really won't), and forces me to eat chicken noodle soup and drink lots of water and orange juice all day. I also must have a peppermint or a cough drop in my mouth every waking hour. If she catches me without one, she threatens me with castor oil. She feels my forehead and tells me that I am going to get better, and she even kissed my forehead today and told me that she loved me. Now if a guy can't get to feeling well in an environment like this, where can he? The kindness in this woman is overwhelming.

Friday, May 5, 2000: Union Hill

I am feeling much better today. Some very kind people, who I didn't know a few weeks ago, have been taking very good care of me. Bill, my friend and doctor in Jonesboro, gave me a different antibiotic, and it seems to be helping quite a bit. Lucille, (the warden) my adopted mother and nurse, finally let me go outside this afternoon. I have plans to ease back into life on the outside by going fishing tomorrow. Things are looking up. I am going to continue to rest here for the weekend and plan to carry on walking from Pineville on Monday.

Monday, May 8, 2000: Union Hill

Lucille rarely lets anyone take her picture, but she finally gave in to my persistent begging yesterday after church. I have gone up for parole today, and she has given me permission to walk on, as long as I take it slow. Herschel and Lucille will be dropping me off in Pineville this afternoon, and I will continue my walk east towards Marksville. It is going to be very hard to say goodbye to them today. They have treated me like their son since I have known them and have told me that they always will.