"He who finds a coke machine in the middle of the country and determines it works, has found a good thing."
Proverb completely made up by Wendi just now
Proverb completely made up by Wendi just now
The drive from our farm to my cousin Eddie's house takes us less than ten minutes. It is 6.1 miles. Googlemaps will tell you that that takes close to 15 minutes, but those people must be walking part of the way.
The speed limit on unlined country roads is 30. If there is a line in the middle of the road, it is 45. But truly, no one really pays that much attention. You go the speed that matches the curve of the road.
You can always tell whether or not you are behind someone who knows the roads. Or someone who doesn't. Someone who isn't familiar with our countryside goes painfully slow. They brake constantly. They get afraid when a car comes flying by going the other way.
But locals know how to take the turns. They know when to slow down. They know when to speed up.
There are no lights or major intersections on our drive. The entire trip takes place on old country roads -- some of which aren't even wide enough for two cars to pass each other.
The speed limit on unlined country roads is 30. If there is a line in the middle of the road, it is 45. But truly, no one really pays that much attention. You go the speed that matches the curve of the road.
You can always tell whether or not you are behind someone who knows the roads. Or someone who doesn't. Someone who isn't familiar with our countryside goes painfully slow. They brake constantly. They get afraid when a car comes flying by going the other way.
But locals know how to take the turns. They know when to slow down. They know when to speed up.
There are no lights or major intersections on our drive. The entire trip takes place on old country roads -- some of which aren't even wide enough for two cars to pass each other.
Some of the houses we pass on the way are nice -- beautiful even. They have wrap-around porches and perfectly manicured yards and horses roaming in the pasture. There are swings tucked into the trees and rocking chairs scattered around porches.
But many of the properties we pass are a bit run down and look something like what you see in this picture below:
I've passed this house many times since Eddie & Hannah became our neighbors. (Is it a house? I'm not sure. There are so many properties that actually look like a junk yard that it can be hard to determine which is which.)
Okay, so let's blow that picture up a bit and take a better look at what is there with a closer eye:
Honestly, I know I've lived here awhile when I tell you, I didn't really think much about it seeing a Coke machine in the front yard of someone's house. We often pass houses and have conversations about what lead the people within its walls to have so many odd things in their front yards.
But here's where this story gets so crazy.
I've (mostly) give up soda. But yesterday I had a migraine that I could NOT tackle. It was so bad that I asked Hannah Grace, who was coming to the house to drop off my boys, if she could bring me a Coke when she came.
Hannah Grace told me she only had Sprite. No caffeine. Won't help.
But then she showed up with two Cokes.
"How did you get those?" I asked.
You see, you don't pass any stores or gas stations as you drive from her house to my house and to go by one would be very out of the way.
Her son Gabe laughed and said, "We got it from that Coke machine in that yard."
You what?!
"Yeah," he said. "It actually works! It actually has cold Cokes in it."
Seriously.
I popped it open and sipped Coke so cold, I didn't even need a glass of ice.
Beat that story.
#Ican'tbelievethisismylife
But many of the properties we pass are a bit run down and look something like what you see in this picture below:
I've passed this house many times since Eddie & Hannah became our neighbors. (Is it a house? I'm not sure. There are so many properties that actually look like a junk yard that it can be hard to determine which is which.)
Okay, so let's blow that picture up a bit and take a better look at what is there with a closer eye:
Honestly, I know I've lived here awhile when I tell you, I didn't really think much about it seeing a Coke machine in the front yard of someone's house. We often pass houses and have conversations about what lead the people within its walls to have so many odd things in their front yards.
But here's where this story gets so crazy.
I've (mostly) give up soda. But yesterday I had a migraine that I could NOT tackle. It was so bad that I asked Hannah Grace, who was coming to the house to drop off my boys, if she could bring me a Coke when she came.
Hannah Grace told me she only had Sprite. No caffeine. Won't help.
But then she showed up with two Cokes.
"How did you get those?" I asked.
You see, you don't pass any stores or gas stations as you drive from her house to my house and to go by one would be very out of the way.
Her son Gabe laughed and said, "We got it from that Coke machine in that yard."
You what?!
"Yeah," he said. "It actually works! It actually has cold Cokes in it."
Seriously.
I popped it open and sipped Coke so cold, I didn't even need a glass of ice.
Beat that story.
#Ican'tbelievethisismylife
5 comments:
This is hilarious!
Love!!
This is ridiculously awesome.
And is that a phone booth in the back??
So do they leave a price on it to pay on your honor? My son in law grew up in rural Ohio and during harvest season the farms just put stuff out with a cash bucket or container of some kind and you are on your honor to pay it and leave the rest of the money already there alone! Always amazes me, but seems to work! Country living....ah
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