The return from Pateros

So the routine returns. It was a short but seemingly endless outing that resulted in not much more than empty pockets and a drift of a hike. I felt some sad sense of longing as I drove out of Pateros, that tiny town supposedly holding 643 souls, give or take, and the smells of the bakery that welcomed me as long as the sun shone. I can't explain why I feel like I am leaving something behind. Maybe my expectations were too high. Maybe my expectations were too low. I had hoped for an improbable burst of life excitement, all the while planning for the sad reality that would most likely realize itself once again. I am not angry; I am not upset. I might be disappointed or discouraged. But the smell of the Washington air that was so new to me, the somewhat-heat of the pollen-tainted breeze that filled my rental car's humming engine vents - and would have blown my hair awry if it were long enough - those things keep my senses alive. Those people that seem alien, those Washingtonian foreigners, they are so eerily similar to me and mine. The backroad highways paved decades ago and well-traveled by thousands if not millions - they speak some testament of my smile for life and the spontaneity and lack of reason that could fuel and refuel me for an eternity. Sometimes it doesn't really matter if practicality speaks loud enough. I guess my ears were muffled at least for a day or two. And I am excited for that. 25 is still not a man. I'll never be a man; I'll always be a boy.


Sweet River Bakery

[In late May/early June, I took a random trip to Washington - my first time there - to pursue some interesting treasure-hunting dreams of mine. It sounds a bit ricidulous, I know. I came home empty-handed, and more in debt, but it was a great experience and I have no regrets. My trip consisted of flying from Sacramento to Spokane, then driving a rental 2+ hours out to mid-northern Washington, past the towns of Moses Lake, Brewster, Pateros, and more - all on my way to Alta Lake State Park. I stayed overnight in Pateros, and I was welcomed by the Sweet River Bakery, the Rest Awhile Fruit Stand, a comfortable Chevron station, and the Lake Pateros Inn, to name a few of my stops. Then I turned around, drove a bit, and flew a bit - all to return to the life and normalcy I had temporarily left behind.]