Pit Stop on Route 66

After twenty-two years of marriage and being in love with my wife, I now find myself living alone in a small one-bedroom apartment. Never in my life have I experienced such loneliness. Looking back, I was thinking that maybe things would have been different if I hadn’t purchased so many items over the Internet, and then having them shipped by United Parcel. The face in the mirror cracked a smile, when thinking that I thought it would have altered the outcome of my marriage. The reason she left was because unknowingly to me, she had become bored with her life. If she hadn’t run off with the UPS man, it would have been someone else. Fortunately, our marriage did produce a beautiful son and daughter, but they were of no help in alleviating my severe case of loneliness. My son is currently serving time in the military, and is stationed overseas. My daughter is married and living in Florida with her husband.

The moisture on the mirror had evaporated, so I leaned forward to get a closer look at my face. As my eyes scanned the reflection in the mirror, I considered myself to be a rather handsome man. I have a head full of black hair, and dark blue eyes. My ears are close to my head, and my nose is nicely shaped. I had to smile at the assessment I had made of my face, which exposed a nice set of pearly whites. I may be 42 years old, but I could easily pass for 38. I stepped back from the mirror, and stood up straight to check my physique. Standing 6’1’’and weighing in around 180 pounds, it appeared passable. Now, if I can only find someone of the opposite gender who agrees with me on my evaluation.

For the past year, women and dating were not on my agenda. My goal was to get my life back together, and to become independently wealthy. Working as a stockbroker gave me access to volumes of financial data about numerous companies, which allowed me to invest my money wisely. I purchased stock with the money I had received from the sale of our home, and was successful in accumulating a sizeable amount of cash.

As I was dressing for work, I made the decision to inform my boss that morning I was quitting, giving him two weeks notice. I reinvested the money that I had made in the stock market into municipal bonds, which would allow me to retire and eliminate any worry about losing my nest egg. My plans for the following two weeks were to get my finances in order, and purchase a new Acura sports utility vehicle. I have always had the desire to tour the U.S. and take in the sights, while living life as it presents itself. It was a perfect time for me to fulfill that dream, and to begin a new chapter in my life.

Before leaving, I paid three months rent on my apartment in advance. The Acura was packed with my clothes and toiletries, and I was anxious to hit the road for what I hoped would be the adventure of a lifetime. The time was six o’clock Monday morning when I turned the ignition key of the Acura. My plans were to take I-40 across the country to Wilmington, North Carolina, which is located on the east coast. I would then turn south and drive along the coastline on I-17 to Florida, where I would visit my daughter. My first stop would be Laughlin, Nevada, where I planned to relax for a few days before beginning my journey; Laughlin is a laid back gambling Mecca, where the hotel casinos are located on the banks of the Colorado River. I would take I-15 out of San Diego to Barstow, California, where I would pick up I-40, which follows the old Route 66 highway into Arizona.

It was eight thirty AM when I passed through Daggett, California on I-40, and my stomach was telling me it was time to stop for coffee and breakfast. I had traveled this route many times before with my wife on our way to Laughlin. On every occasion, I suggested we stop in the town of Newberry Springs, which was just a few miles up ahead, and have breakfast at the famous Bagdad Café. My wife always talked me out of it, because of being leery about eating food at a café that was off the beaten path. Newberry Springs is located on the nostalgic, highway Route 66 that runs parallel to I-40 in that area. The Bagdad Café is known throughout the world, because of the movie that was filmed there in 1988 and given the same name. The café was also used as a backdrop for several other films and commercials. With all that exposure over the years, the Bagdad Café has become a tourist attraction.

Turning off I-40 onto Route 66, I entered the quaint little desert town of Newberry Springs, which sits at an elevation of around twenty two hundred feet above sea level. Many of the buildings I passed, appeared to have been built in the thirties and forties. Upon arriving at the Bagdad Café, it appeared to be out of place. It was not at all like what I had expected. It reminded me of an A-frame mountain cabin with its’ steep roof and wooden shingles. The front of the café was graced with old fashion, picture windows, and a large, wood shingled gable that sheltered the front door. Three pickup trucks and a car were parked in front, when I pulled up and parked.