Why Did the Hobo Cross the Street?

Well now, here I am – in the back of my parents white cargo van. We are on our way to Cleveland. They picked me up this afternoon from my dear friend’s house in New York. I used to get such a thrill from being on the highway. Wonder-lust will do it to you. When I was younger, and still full of unreasonable expectations for life, I wanted to see every corner of the world.

I always remember wanting to travel, when I was young. I wanted to live exactly the type of life I have lived up to this point. I’ve been in New England for five years, virtually cut off from the rest of society. The only news I received was that come from hear say, or sought after on the internet. I’ve been in a bubble.

I don’t live in my bubble any more – and to be honest, it’s a little over whelming at times. Actually, it’s a lot over whelming. I feel as though I lost a fair amount of my independence and braveary in the last five years. And now I feel as though the world is so big, and I am so small. At times I feel as a young child must feel, the first few times they are aware of what is going on around them. I do not know if my friends and associates understand any of this — how could they. How could I expect them to. The best way I can describe it to them is culture shock.

For example, crossing the street. This is something i have known how to do my whole entire life. Always look both ways and do not walk out in front of cars (thats how you get dead). Street crossing, a fundamental ability in this human experience, used to come as naturally to me as say, walking. This, however was before i spent five years in a place with one blinking light and dirt roads, i think there were all of three cars in town (well that may be a bit of a hyperbole, I simply want to emphasize how rare the street crossing was in NH). You could literally walk for miles and miles with out ever coming to a cross street. Here you have to cross a street every block and to me is real business. . . it kind of scars me, and makes me feel ridiculous all at the same time. Basically, when it comes to crossing the street I'm the worlds tallest kindergardener. I'm going to keep practicing, however, I'm sure i'll get good at crossing the street again someday.

That's what i mean by culture shock.