TheBanyanTree: Life As a Road Worrier - Part [ Interminable ]

[B Drummond]

Today finds me in Knoxville.  Tennessee that is (yes, Virginia, there 
are other Knoxvilles in other states)

This morning I drove up US 119 heading north on that four lane stretch 
of highway from Harlan (Wolfie's mother's old stomping grounds) KY to 
Cumberland KY.  On the way I passed under two giant conveyor lines over 
the highway that were busy bringing coal from mines in the mountains 
above down to collection points on the west side of the highway.  Coal 
lay in huge stacks under a section of conveyors, while some of the coal 
was being placed by giant front end loader machines, tons at a time, 
into train cars.  The train cars stretched for miles with hundreds and 
hundreds of cars full of coal heading out of coal country to God only 
knows where.

In Cumberland I worked with a business associate on an especially tough 
problem.  Persistence paid off and, Voila! I came through with another 
"miracle", with another satisfied customer, and another job well done to 
add in the history books.  It's what I do.  <hyperbole is not optional 
in this post>

And from there back to Harlan again, this time to right the wrongs at 
Cawood High School.  In short order, victory was won, another customer 
was pleased, another foe vanquished, another, "Just doing our jobs, 
Sir," was passed along.

Then t'was time to see more of Kentucky, more of the mountains, the 
rivers, the contrasting affluence and poverty of Appalachia.  I'll say 
this for coal mining in that area, they don't get in such a hurry to cut 
down the glorious hardwoods growing on the mountains like they do in 
many other mountainous areas in this region.  The coal they dig out of 
the mountains keeps 'em busy enough (or distracted enough) that they 
don't clearcut the forests on the mountains.  This area is still 
wonderfully graced with trees on most every mountain.  Yes, the 
mountains are honeycombed with hidden tunnels by the zillions but them 
hills are sylvan, my friend, and you gotta' love that.

Back on I-75 from Kentucky coal mining back roads and cookie cutter 
culture shock set in again.  It just aint the same seeing our wonderful 
country via Interstate highway.  But, you know, every once in a while 
the interstate IS glorious.  Like, well, for instance, climbing 
Monteagle mountain between Chattanooga and Nashville on I-24 or climbing 
into the clouds going south on I-75 just south of the Kentucky / 
Tennessee line working your way up to Jellico and beyond -- especially 
when the  hardwoods are covered in green and the valleys dusted with 
light fog. You can't help feeling that you know it looks to God when He 
looks down from above at that part of Tennessee.  And I'd be willing to 
say that he'd probably say, "It is STILL good. Very good."

So, now here I sit in this hotel room, missing family and wishing I were 
home on this night so close to Christmas.  The life of a road worrier 
has its good points and its bad points, you see.

I try not to dwell on the bad points.  It makes for long days and 
dreadfully longer nights.



    bd
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