16 October 2010

All days are not created equal

The title of this post is more an observation than a complaint. 

We left Albuquerque early and in high spirits this morning.  The Flagstaff to Albuquerque day had been a really good one.  Add to that a room with a view, our almost two hours of hiking amongst the petroglyphs and a signature dinner experience.  It was a great day among days.

Every high requires a coming down.  Period.  Consider the exchange between Peter and Jesus on what is now called the Mount of Transfiguration.  One doesn't have to be a Christian to understand that story to be an illustration of the point.  It's a fact of human experience. 

Today, more specifically our stopping for the night, was our coming down, not only from yesterday, I suspect, but from the whole of the Utah trip -- and probably September's canoing trip as well.

Picture it.  An attractive, four-floor hotel just off I-40 at Shawnee Oklahoma.  Situated at the end of the same complex as an overrun Super Wal-mart and a pulsating Buffalo Wild Wings.  (Obviously, it's Saturday night.)  A hotel, full for the evening, where, for reasons sort of obvious after a conversation with the manager, the housekeeping staff is in revolt, only two of them having worked that day.  Rooms not clean.  Trash bags piled high in the elevator lobbies.  The voices of wedding party and wedding guests -- all irate -- rising to a crescendo in the lobby.  The desk clerk flummoxed, helpless.  Janet and Tal with no place to go and too tired to drive on.

Supper consisted of Wendy's.  College football on the television.  Although the carpet hasn't been vacuumed and there's only one towel in the bath (we can share), the sheets are clean.  I'm going to go to bed and fall asleep remembering this morning's view.  There's no need to let the troubles that reside here have any more sway on this day than they already have.

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