Dude, Where's My Car?

I arrived at the Portland Maine Airport around 12 noon on Tuesday, June 30, and took a cab over to my hotel in Scarborough. The first thing I noticed was the difference in temperature. It was slightly humid, but much cooler compared to New York City. I was thrilled, because I hate the suffocating humidity and heat.

My hotel has units equipped with kitchnettes that look more like studio apartments than hotel rooms. Little by little I've made my efficiency studio more like a home. Flowers from the local market adorn the kitchen counter and bureaus near the queen sized bed. Food now stocks the cabinet and refrigerator, along with paper goods, and cleaning supplies; and cooking utensils, plates, and small appliances are now in place.

Toward the end of the week I wanted to visit other areas and searched to find public transportation. "You don't have a car?" said one local. "Then you need to walk to the
Wal-mart and catch the South Portland bus. You may have to take two buses to get there," said another. But I discovered that the South Portland bus schedule is tricky. The pickup and return to Wal-mart is not easily understood. I tried calling their office; the person answering didn't have a clue either. And I was told to call back later to speak to a manager.

After a couple of weeks, my daughter called wanting to know how things were going. She asked if I had seen a moose yet, "Any Bullwinkle sightings?" I tell her I have not seen anything yet, because I need a car to get around. But out of curiosity, I asked Larry the assistant manager if there were any in the area. He laughed when I mentioned Bullwinkle and said, "You're more likely to see Boris and Natasha."

I'm a library person. I go to the library often and as a college student, I can tell you it's a great place to write or do homework. The Scarborough Library is not near my hotel and sidewalks don't seem to exist, so it makes the walk more difficult. With a gung-ho attitude I checked on Google to see how far I would have to walk. It said 2.2 miles. "I'm game", I say and head off on my trek. I notice that I'm the only dummy walking on this road, but still, I don't care. I'm enjoying the scenery and fresh air. It was a long walk, but I finally arrived at the library. After taking care of business, I decided to call a taxi to get back to my hotel. The first company I called went straight into voicemail and said they'd get back when they could. The second company said, "Well, I'm sorry, we don't have any cars in your area." So I did what any self respecting New Yorker would do, I walked back. And with head held high and a smile on my face, I found the walk back was quicker.

After walking 4.4 miles, I was so hungry; I felt like I could have eaten a side of beef, but went for the healthier alternative instead. I went into Shaw's and bought a rotisserie chicken with corn on the cob and salad. It was delicious!

Many people in the Greater Portland area are friendly and happy to provide directions or advice. I'm enjoying the clean fresh air and the quiet. It's exactly what I asked for - it's exactly what I needed. I wanted to be surrounded by nature, and by God, I am. So I decided to ask the big Kahuna - the big Cheese - the great Dude in the sky for a car. "Send me something," I say. "I want to go out and discover Maine", I plead. "Dude, where's my car?"