Oatmeal

Back in the early '70s, my grandfather went to Paris. When he returned, my mother called him, very excited to hear about the trip. As she tells it, the conversation went something like this:

"Daddy, you went to Paris!" "I had to pay $8 for a bowl of oatmeal." 

"Did you see the Eiffel Tower?" "I had to pay $8 for a bowl of oatmeal." 

"Daddy you got to fly the Concorde. What was it like?" "In Paris I had to pay $8 for a bowl of oatmeal." 

I have never really understood my grandfather until just recently. I paid $137 for shampoo, conditioner, body wash, deodorant, lotion, (the world's largest box of) tampons, disposable cups, 1 litre of spiced rum, and a 6-pack of Coke. I want to talk about Galena. I want to write about the two months leading up to getting to Galena. Hell, I want to tell you about the last year living on the road. Share some of my favorite places and stories and people with you.

But I had to pay eight dollars for a bowl of oatmeal! Let me get past that. Then I promise, we'll move on.