The Door: Quest in Order; Chapter (the next)–The Phe-Nom-E-Non At Work (Days 11-20)
Hey Gang!
Welcome to my life…
Where anything is possible and nothing is as it seems. I’m Freedom and I’ll be your host, coming at you from within…
The Depths of Geistopiaaaaaaaaaa
Velcum to my Life ees a prochect, un experiment een Life unt ART, A liwing storyboard, if you vill. Eet’s premise ees zat you can, and do, experience za life you choose. Eet ees based on za Veel of Life unt za ARTs for za New Millennium as life building tools. Ya. Eet’s true.
Welcome to my Life is an ITV Studios/Geist…House production. JustUs Productions, the parent company, would like to give a ‘Shout-Out’ to the following for their ongoing, and oft times unknowing, inspiration and support:
Princess Cuddlebug
Princess Sunshine
Craze & Co.
The Shaman
The Pillar
FaeriePrincess
Berton
The Baker of the Cornbread
The VanMan (may he R.I.P.)
The WhiteRose
The Fallen Angel
Jojo Dancer
Senior Swankypants
The ‘Original’ Mr. Baggins (and His Wife)
The Socialite
Oh, Danny Boy
Milton
The Couple in the Coffee Shop
She Who Once Was ‘The Pan’
Her Lovely Wife
Joe from Ypsi-Tuckey
The Albion Officer
The town of Marshall, MI
The Whoop-Whoop Gang
The Chicago Don
Rose Ross
Elaine
My Facebook Family
Prof. Siggy Chong
The Piz-Nifer
Downtown Donny Brown
Mama Rabbit
And, of course, a very generous sponsor who pretends to want to be anonymous.
(*Semi-Legal mumbo-jumbo jargon fine print – my thoughts, my words. Bug off if you think you theivin’ them.*)
It is Friday, July 20, 2012. Time….Quandried.
Two notes to start this writing. Again, please remember that for the purposes of the journey I am giving ‘Shout-Outs’ to those who are directly affecting the Quest.
Also, It is important to remember that I firmly believe that there is a force, an energy, that flows through all of us – connecting each of us to the entire world around us and beyond. I do not care what name you give to it. You do not need to be religious or spiritual to know it. You merely need to tune in and pay attention. The rest takes care of itself. When this force manifests outside of ourselves I refer to it as ‘The Phe-Nom-E-Non.’ And, when it comes from within I merely call it ‘The Voice.’
So, when we last left….well…me…I was on my way out of Hanoverton, OH and on to places undisclosed. I wasn’t entirely certain myself where I was headed. I knew I was headed north towards Cleveland, but I didn’t know to where exactly. You see, I had a friend mention the Cleveland area and give me some pointers of things to do and see. It seems, I was to learn, that before I had met him in high school he had been born and raised in the Cleveland area.
I tried to do a little private investigation to find out exactly where.
I was almost successful.
I used a photo he had posted on Facebook to give me a general area/direction and off I went. Though the drive-in itself no longer exists, it did put me in the right place. I snapped a picture and shared it on Facebook. From there he gave me the rest. So, Day 11 was spent in a beautiful town called Willoughby, OH. My whole purpose for being there was to allow my friend a chance to return and reminisce.
I got much more out of it than that.
First, I managed to get myself wet in Lake Erie. This was fun and interesting, but I didn’t stay very long. And, after having been in Lake Michigan, I probably wouldn’t return to Erie. I also managed to meet a most fascinating gentleman.
I was wandering up and down the streets, snapping photos of things I liked and things I thought might touch my friend. I was passing by the library, taking a picture when this beautiful old car drove past. I so missed it that I can’t even tell you what kind of car it had been.
I immediately commented to myself…
(Out loud)
…when this gentleman near me spoke up, “you were doin’ what you need to do for you.'”
From there conversation ensued. I’m not sure how long we talked but it was fascinating. He was fascinating. His name was Milton – a 67 year old black man.
(Or do I need to say ‘African-American’?)
Milton told me his story and I had told him mine. He told me that he was 2 years clean from a 24 year heroin habit. He talked of his faith and the inspiration he has found in God. When he learned what it was that had brought me to Willoughby he was impressed. He made a very strong statement. One that I believe was partially the point to the Quest in the first place.
“So few people step out in Faith.”
Many of us talk about it. Many of us claim we have it. Many of us say we believe in the power of it all. But, when Faith asks us to step out on a limb, to go outside of our comfort zone, so few of us can actually do it.
Now, I am not claiming any kind of superiority for being insane enough to pack up half my life and leave the other half behind as I trek across the country – not really knowing why. However, I do it in Faith. ‘The Voice’ said, “Go!” The Phe-Nom-E-Non backed this up. So, I went. I left believing that all would be ok, no matter what. This is what Milton seemed to like. He was so moved in fact that he walked me to the coffee shop and bought me a coffee and a cookie. He offered me more than the cookie, but it was all I needed so why get something more?
In the coffee shop, I snapped off some photos and had some more wonderful dialogue.
(Do you know why Chicago is called ‘The Windy City’?)
There wasn’t much left for me in Willoughby, so I headed out. Now, I was off to take up a friend on her offer to catch up. I was so glad I did this. It was wonderful to see her. This was a very random and, originally, unscheduled stop.
Both my friend and her wife got readings from me and, though I told them what I would charge them, they paid me my full rate for each. I consider this the bonus part of the trip. Everything else was the important stuff.
It is always wonderful to catch up with a long-lost friend, but in this particular case it also brought resolution to a very strange, and dark, part of our past. I also managed to get hooked up with 2 CDs from her wife’s band – Nervous But Excited. I have to tell you that this is some of the best music I have heard in a very long time. The first disc that I listened to, I listened to 3 times in a row.
After I left them the next morning I headed into the town of Ypsilanti, MI. And, for those of you that are curious it is pronounced like Ant not like Aunt. 
In the heart of Ypsilanti, I met Joe. Joe was so very fascinating. These are the conversations I wish I could capture on video. But, it’s hard enough to have the camera on to capture them let alone to stop a damn good conversation to ask if I can get the camera and turn it on. Joe was such a wonderful dialogue. He taught me much about the history of Ypsi, as well as the “projected future.” We talked of the mundane – the here and the now – but we also got more esoteric and spiritual. This was another time that I had wished the camera could have been on. I have so wanted to capture the essence of this trip – which ultimately, is the essence of humanity.
From day one, this is the what I had encountered. Man is, at his core, very good.
It is when I left Ypsi that things began to change. The “fun” part of the trip was coming to an end and the Universe would begin dictating a more serious focus of things. I’m not even sure what time I left Ypsi, really. But I do know that the day moved on – as they always seem to do.
I was driving along I-80, somewhere near the middle of Michigan, as the sun began to set on another day. I was trying to get to Kalamazoo, again at the request of a friend. As I drove I began noticing the road signs. In Michigan, it seems, the county roads do not have names as we would think of. Instead, they are labeled systematically. The roads running East-West are given letters (running both North and South.) So there is A road North and A road South. And the roads running North-South are named for their mile marker in the county (i.e., 26 Mile Road.) It is these latter ones that had caught my attention. As I traveled along I noticed, first, 26 Mile road. Then 24 Mile Road, 23 Mile Road and finally by 22 1/2 Mile Road I decided this was way to fascinating to not try and capture. (Which I don’;t think I actually ever did.)
I got off the interstate at 22 1/2 Mile Road and turned in the other direction in the hopes of getting a photo or two. Sadly, the sun had set too much on this day and it was now to dark to capture a good picture. I drove back Eastward to the next exit that actually had a town associated with it. This would be Albion, MI.
I parked myself in a McDonald’s parking lot – something I had become quite comfortable with by this point in the journey. I spent a few moments trying to acclimate myself and figure out what was next. I was looking ahead to Kalamazoo when ‘The Voice’ chimed in.
“I think you should spend the night here.”
Of course, being human, knowing what is right and best, I began to argue.
“But Kalamazoo is only an hour away. I can make it there yet tonight,”
Again, The Voice spoke, “No. I really think you should start your morning here.”
Sigh. Fine.
I found my sleeping spot for the night and settled in. The next morning I headed straight for Mickey D’s for my morning fix of food, drink, and whatever else came along with it. As I started in to the restaurant, I bumped into a police officer on his way out. My confusion and uncertainty must have been apparent because he almost immediately asked if I needed help. I explained to him who I was and what I was doing and a wonderful conversation followed. He, like so many others, said that he wished he could do something like I was doing. As we talked and he learned that I was just kind of milling about for the day he made a suggestion. He told me that Albion was not really where I wanted to be. He said I should go downtown and take some pictures of the old buildings and brick streets but that if I really wanted to just chill for a day I should make myself 10 miles west to Marshall.
So, I had my breakfast and then set out to follow the officer’s advice. First, I journeyed into the town of Albion. He was absolutely correct. The town of Albion itself did not hold much for a traveler such as myself. There were definitely some scenic buildings but that was about it. I walked up and down a few streets and had resolved myself to heading out.
As I walked down my last side street, heading back to ‘The Magic Bus’ a woman called out to me. She suggested that we trade canes. She was coming out of a church and was just finishing up as I p[assed. I smiled and chuckled and offered for her to look at mine closer. This particular day I was toting the Leprechaun. We talked on quite a bit. Again, when she found out what had brought me to Albion she was struck. She so enjoyed the thought of it all. Through our conversation she helped me remember that understanding why we follow is not as important as following itself.
“And when the man said, ‘But Lord I can not speak. I have an impediment.’ The Lord said, ‘Moses, I did not tell you to speak. I told you to go. Now go,’ and G-d gave Moses someone to speak. He gave him Aaron. Now go, Rev. Matt. Go!!”
This was Rose Ross…and I love her.
So, go is exactly what I did. I headed into Marshall, MI as directed by the officer earlier that morning. As usual when pulling into a new town, I found myself disoriented, uncertain. I drove in circles for a short while, investigating and scoping.. I fond myself beginning to wonder if perhaps there was work in this town.
I found a parking place and headed off for a walk along the main street. I went to the first shop that had caught my attention. I was confident going in that this would be the store to provide me with the place I needed to work. I left just as certain that it was not.
I continued to mill up and down the blocks. Soon, I began to think that perhaps I was mistaken and there would be no work for me here. Instead I resolved to take some pictures and be on my way. After all, Kalamazoo was waiting.
That’s when it happened. I had stopped to take a picture of some architecture or another. Then this store sort of reached out and grabbed me. I was compelled to go inside. I wasn’t inside for long before I was greeted and the woman said that if I had any questions I should just ask.
I’m not sure what came over me, but I went out on a limb. ‘Any questions’ is a fairly broad arena. So I asked the only question that I had on my mind.
“Would you know of any shops in town that may be open to having a Tarot Reader for an afternoon?”
I thought this woman was going to go through the roof. But, in a very good way. She was very excited and enthusiastic. She offered me space in her shop and asked if she, herself, could get a reading.
Well…of course.
As I carried in my tale and cards and such she began to call everyone she could think of to come and get a reading. I did 4 readings that day for a total of $90, I believe. She offered to let me come back the following day and set up outside for the Garden Walk that was going on in town. She also suggested that I head to the local pub that night to find a particular gentleman.
That is precisely what I did.
It did not take long to find him. Marshall is a fairly small community and everyone knows everyone so it seems. I asked my waitress if this particular gentleman was in the pub that night and she said, “He’s right there.”
I turned, and he was passing behind me. I introduced myself and told him how I had come by his name. He was very warm and receptive. His chosen path is Hare Krishna. (which I found interesting because in Salem, OH it was a Hare Krishna who had approached me with a book to read as well as a magazine which listed centers around the nation. All of which offer free feasts on a Sunday.)
We chatted on for a good part of the night and along the way I had come to meet quite a few other people. It, in essence, became a night of fellowship. Something I had been needing but did not realize how much until it had taken place.
The next day I stopped at the local coffee shop while waiting for the shop to open. Here I would encounter a wonderful woman and kindred spirit. We chatted on quite a bit about this and that. I would see her again later in the day.
I made my way to the shop and set up camp outside. I waited…and waited…and waited. For quite some time it seemed as though there would be nothing for me that day. Finally a woman came along and questioned me quite extensively. At first I thought it was just idle curiosity. It turns out it was more of an interrogation, a test. One which I apparently passed.
The woman sat down and asked me to read for her. It was actually quite an interesting reading and along the way she even “read” me a little bit. Soon she would be done and I would find myself waiting once more. A little while later I would be joined by my friend from the coffee shop. She, too, would get a reading. And, before she left my presence I would ask her where the closest laundromat was.
There was something interesting about these two readings – the only two that I would give that day. I quoted each of them my “special” price for their readings. This is the price I am accepting solely for the purposes of the journey. However, each gave me more than what I had asked. In fact, each gave me exactly what I would normally charge. This was an indication for me, an answer to a a question posed before I left. Should I lower my price for readings on a regular basis. The answer came back a resounding, “No!”
So for those two readings I made a total of $80.
Before I would leave my spot, my friend from the coffee shop would return. She approached my table, laying out before me the “tourist” map of the town. She pointed and said, “My house is right here. When you are done, why don’t you come by and you can wash your clothes there.”
The day would drudge on in a number of ways. I visited the coffee shop once more and this time on my way back to the van I came upon two young men reading the collection of signatures I had gathered along my way. They were inspired by what I was doing and were more than happy to oblige when I asked them to write on the van themselves.
That night I would find myself in the pub once more. This time, through my friend I had made the previous night, I would join a birthday celebration. I would also give a total of three more readings. For two of them I would receive $20. For the other I would receive so much more. The woman was so generous that she came back to me and offered me a bed for the night and breakfast in the morning. Interestingly, and oddly enough, it would turn out that her son was one of the young men from earlier in the day. Also that night I had spoken to another man who was so inspired by what I was doing that he randomly, and generously, gave me $5. Before all was said and done I would make a total of $225 in Marshall.
I suppose it was a good thing that I took the time to listen to ‘The Voice.’
The next day would come and the morning would start with a wonderfully delicious breakfast and delightful conversation. I was offered the chance to accompany a ‘Ghost Walk’ that evening which, unfortunately, would not come to pass. However, that afternoon I did take up the offer for a free carriage ride around the town. I had killed enough time in town waiting for the Ghost Walk and when I learned it was not going to take place I decided that it was time to move onward.
Before I “move on” though I think it only fair to mention that the sign leading into Marshall read, “Welcome to Marshall – The city of Hospitality.” I would have to say that everyone had proven that to be very much true.
I spent one more night in Marshall, off by myself, unbeknownst to any of my new friends. The experience had been so intense and such high energy that I just needed some time to come down from it. The next morning I would make my way towards Kalamazoo once more.
Along the way I had found myself “trapped” in this one small town, driving in circles as I tried to navigate their extensive road work. I am still unsure of what the exact purpose of that moment was, but I am sure there was one. I would reach Kalamazoo, only to determine that it was not the place for me. It just did not have the “feel” that all of the other places had.
I continued westward and found myself in South Haven, MI. This is a quaint little “shore” town on the shore of Lake Michigan. I liked this town. My first impression of it was that this is a town that wants you to visit and wants you to stay. The parking lots are free and the one I found also had a public restroom right on the grounds. I spent the day there walking the streets trying to determine if there was work or not. The results would be none but I did then take a day to myself to just recharge and relax. I had finally resolved myself to taking a decent swim in Lake Michigan. I enjoyed it immensely. On my way back to the van I would meet a group of twenty-somethings who would, inevitably, sign ‘The Magic Bus.’ I bedded down for the night, in a town close by, and would set off in the morning for Chicago.
Chicago would turn out to be something quite amazing for me. It is most fascinating to me because from the outset of the trip, Chicago was a place that I did not desire to go but knew that I would have to. I have a friend who has a friend in Chicago and we were to meet up that night for a little pow-wow. However, I rolled into town about 9 hours earlier than our meeting was set for.
I got into Downtown Chicago and spent 45 minutes driving in circles until I would find a parking spot. I got out of the van and loaded myself up with all of the required ‘questing gear.’ I took $2 in quarters and loaded them into the parking meter, only to discover that this bought me a grand total of 37 minutes. Oddly, I found this more amusing than anything. I was now left with two challenges. First, I needed to entertain and amuse myself for another 8 hours, and I needed to do so in a way that wasn’t going to cost me a fortune in parking.
Being as aloof as I am to the practical and realistic aspects of life I set off, smile on my face. I had noticed a visitor center somewhere along my way as I had searched for my high priced parking space. I set off to find it. I came to the end of the block, stopped by the crosswalk and the do not walk signal. I was only there momentarily when I thought that perhaps the center was in the opposite direction. I turned on my heels and off I went.
I’m not even sure how I got where I had ended up. I was just walking along, talking to the camcorder, turning corners as they called. Suddenly I caught sight of inscriptions on the blocks of a stone wall. They were biblical writings. I’m certain I took pictures of them but cannot recall at the moment which ones they were. I only know they spoke to me. I looked up to find that I was standing at the entrance to the Moody Bible Institute. I decided further investigation was called for. I went inside and began probing. The first information desk told me what the Institute was – a place for learning and becoming a minister. Much like a Seminary…but not. This desk also referred and directed me to the next desk.
Here they would tell me of the museum that was across the hall. I asked if I could visit it and they said that I was more than welcome to do just that. Then I asked the two important questions – what can I do for 8 hours and how can I not spend a lot of money parking. They smiled and told me that since I was going to be visiting the museum I was technically visiting the campus and therefore eligible to park in one of their lots until midnight – for free. They also pointed out that I was mere blocks from the heart of downtown and a wonderful mall. So, I got my parking pass, parked The Bus and off I went.
The adventure I was to have was quite incredible. I wondered the mall aimlessly, enjoying the stores and just kind of chilling out. I ventured in to the LEGO store and found a wonderful tea store where I talked on and on with one of the employees. I ventured onward and found myself in an interesting situation. I was wondering where I would go next since the mall was almost completely covered at this point. ‘The Voice’ would chime in with, what I found to be, the most bizarre advice.
“Go into Victoria Secret and ask one of the employees where you are going next,”
Needless to saym, this was guidance that I argued quite a it. Back and forth I paced outside of that store. I could not believe what I was hearing. I mean, really? You want me to go inside a women’s lingerie store (or whatever you would classify it as) and ask where to go next? This just did not sit right with me. I felt odd, a single male just wandering in to this store. I’m not sure if it was the whispered reminder of Marshall that changed my mind or the fact that I realized I probably looked as odd pacing back in forth in front of the store as I felt about going inside it. So…in I went.
Strangely enough, I would find what I was looking for. (In a way.)
I wandered the store, trying not to look too out of place, which is an amusing thought when you consider I was not only a male in a female store but that I was toting my purple and red dragon walking stick. From behind the counter I heard a woman ask if I needed help. I laughed and told her what it was that had actually brought me in there. And…she would have the answer. There was a Buddhist temple a few blocks away and she suggested that I visit there. I left the store feeling dazed actually. I mean, is the universe truly that keen? Does The Phe-Nom-E-Non truly strike with such precision, odd as it may seem at the time?
Soon I would stumble upon one of the coolest things I think I have ever encountered in a mall.
It was this crazy tube type device that you stepped inside of and it would measure you and then tell you what size shirt/pants/etc that you would fit in each of the selected stores. The service itself was free. It seems that the stores pay for the service when they sign up to be a part of it. The employees were wonderful. They allowed me to video the process. Also, as we talked I mentioned the Buddhist temple and one of them suggested that, instead, I drive a little north to the Baha’i temple. The Baha’i premise is that all faiths, all paths, are valid ones. Could you think of a better place for someone like me.
When the measuring process was finished they suggested that I go to one of the stores on the list and see if the print-out was accurate. I chose American Eagle, mostly because it was right across the mall from us. I sought out the manager who was, surprisingly, more than willing to help me test the process and allow me to video myself in the changing room.
The print-out was frighteningly accurate. In fact, I think it was the most comfortable shirt I have put on in quite some time and I was quite sad that I was unable to afford it. I did attempt to buy it, but the manager insisted that I save my money for my quest and that I return ‘sometime’ to buy the shirt.
After all of this I was feeling quite wiped and so, with time to spare but not enough to reach the buddhist temple, I headed back to the van for a little nap. I rested myself and awoke to the phone ringing. someone was standing outside the van and curious if I was interested in a rider for part of the trip. We walked and talked as I made my way to the meeting place and we parted ways with the understanding that we would both see how our night and attitudes developed and decide before I pulled out of town. I was willing to take him along, but he had found a job doing bar back work and decided to stay right where he was.
Well, anyway, the friend of a friend treated me to a beer on the 96th floor of the Hancock building. Once again, plenty of delightful conversation was to be had and, though he did not get a reading, he contributed to my cause – which was most appreciated. I would head out of Downtown Chicago and head for my next local Walmart store for the night.
The next morning I made my way to the temple for a brief period of meditation. I emerged feeling refreshed and recharged, ready to push onward. It was this day I would make the most progress in one shot that I had since I left. I made my way across the state of Illinois and most of Iowa that day. Of course, in Iowa I was privy to my first vehicle search.
It just so happened that I stopped to nap at a rest area in a designated ‘search zone’ and how could they resist searching The Magic Bus. Of course, they didn’t find what they were looking for but it was an interesting experience nonetheless. And, they even signed The Bus.
That night I would bed down at some random rest area or another and once again, the next morning, I would find my plans altered.
I headed out, destination unknown. As I traveled down the highway I found myself hungry and ready for another Mickey D’s stop. Strange enough, this was the first time along my way that there was not a McDonald’s at every other exit. In fact, there wasn’t a McDonald’s at any exit. I scoped things out with the GPS and found one 6 miles off the highway in a little town called Atlantic.
This was not what I wanted at all. I huffed and puffed about it quite a bit. In fact, I all but refused to follow this course. Then, just before I passed the exit (and in just enough time not to) The Voice kicked in, reminding me once more how correct it had been about Marshall. With a quick jerk of the wheel I was off the highway and headed down a long barren road to Atlantic.
I rolled into town completely unsure of how this would all play out. In fact, I spent two days chasing down leads only to come up empty handed in the end. Well…not entirely.
Somewhere in my travels that first morning I had been directed to the local park, which was actually quite large. I found a place to pull over and wash up. I figured there was no sense looking for work looking like a bum. After I washed up a bit, I stumbled upon a woman reading in a pavilion. I’m not sure what inspired me but I approached her to ask if she knew of anyone that might need some day labor. She thought perhaps her landlord. But, this would not come to pass.
It turned out she was reading her bible and we ended up having the most wonderful conversation…for about three hours. Once again, I found someone so moved by my journey that she had given me the last $14 in her wallet. I spent the rest of the day just kind of wandering around looking for whatever I could to make a little more money.
That night there was a concert in the center of town and I attended in just enough time to catch the very end of it. Of course, the stranger carrying the dragon staff talking to a video camera caught a little it of attention. So, I talked with three lovely ladies who seemed to have a lead on several possibilities for me. But once more none of those would manifest.
In fact, I had spent the better part of the next day chasing down a total of six leads (one in another town) that would turn up nothing in the way of work. But, in the grand scheme of things, I suppose, I did not need it. I had what I needed to move onward. And, though I was a bit frustrated, I did move on grateful for the experience that Atlantic had been.
This is where Day 20 leaves us. Once again, bouncing out of town,
Though I found myself very often coming up short on the work end of things I cannot offer up one complaint about the 2nd 10 days. It was in this time that I was reminded just how the Universe works and for this I am very grateful.
Principles:
We always have what we need.
The Universe provides.
Every moment…perfect.
Gratitude is the best attitude.
Live…and Love.
Feedback
Feedback has always been my favorite part of WTML, and also, the one I get to play with the least. I have long said that this is actually the most vital part of the project and have strongly encouraged folks to leave comments, questions and the like.
From here in Geistopia, for now and for always, I am your beloved Rev. wishing you…
Love
Light
Peace
and Freakishness.
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