Word for today, similar to yesterday: RECUPERATION.

I realized this morning, I was so focused on relaxing and eating, I didn’t shower yesterday. Normally a shower would occur in pretty short order, but yesterday whether I was focused on other things, or I’ve gotten so used to going without a shower, I don’t know. So today, I made sure to start with a shower. The only other order of business after that was washing some clothes.

Today did have a little more of the strangeness that I’ve come to expect on this journey; it was less mundane than yesterday but maybe just because I got out and about a little more. I walked to the laundromat that was about 1.5 miles away. I was glad to see my hobo stick was still in the garbage can outside the hotel – will it be awaiting my return to the boat tomorrow?

Not pictured below, but I saw a sign for High Cotton brewery, an empty Natural Ice can, and an old Wonder bread bakery – this made me think of my days on the river with Chad. I’ll need to eat some potatoes later in his honor. And I wondered how long would it take for duct tape applied in preventative measures to eventually just fall off, a friend wants to know.

I passed by an interesting historical marker about a railroad that used to run on this site: The First Railroad in West Tennessee. There was no indication of the railway’s existence, just the sign. Then I thought, so what? Not the first in Tennessee, but in West Tennessee; are there similar signs in north, south and east Tennessee? And I don’t naturally equate Tennessee as the birthplace or center of railroads. Maybe this was the last location in the pre-Civil War era to construct a railroad. Maybe this sign is meaningful to train geeks? I don’t think I know any. In the end I thought, I guess anyone can make a historical sign about anything if they have the money and know the right people.

Shortly after the meaningless railroad sign, I passed a very large Freemasonry lodge with a massive parking lot. Like RR geeks, I don’t think I know any Masons, and I can’t imagine there’s enough around to fill this parking lot. Or, maybe I do know a lot of Masons but just don’t know it as it seems sorta secretive? I know there’s a lodge in Batavia; when I get back maybe I’ll just need to walk in and say “Wot’s, uh, the deal?”

I planned to find breakfast on my walk to the laundromat. Unfortunately I was left with only 3 breakfast “restaurant” options: McDonalds, Burger King, Arby’s. Another cafe on the way looked like it didn’t survive the Covid pandemic. So, reluctantly and disgruntled, I went in for an Egg McMuffin. There were plenty of employees making food, but nobody working the register. There seemed to be a way to download an app and order on line, but that seemed a pretty big hassle for 1 McMuffin. One employee came to the register but told me she couldn’t help as she rang in her own breakfast order. Another came by and said she didn’t work the register. Maybe 5 minutes later someone came and equally begrudgingly took my order; meanwhile 4-5 other customers were lining up behind me waiting for food that they had ordered on the app. I made a comment to one guy about the relative slowness of this “fast” food. “They’re slower than a two day old turtle!” was his response. That was a new one to me, and it was at least some consolation for my wait. In the end they gave me a sausage biscuit with egg but I was too impatient to get it corrected. It’s been years since I’d been to McDonalds; it will be years more if I ever return.

So I ate my breakfast sandwich and finished my walk to Ellie’s Laundry (apparently no relation to Isaac’s girlfriend Ellie, and no likely Warsaw Gun Club connections here). It was pleasant, if uneventful, though the bathroom odor reminded me a lot of the Backpocket brewery in Dubuque. Jasmine at the laundromat helped me out with free detergent pods and free dryer. And other customers there were friendly as well. I’ve never had a better laundromat experience; I didn’t even think a good laundromat experience was possible. Oh – and gloves have been exorcised of their stink demons.

There was a Chinese restaurant a few doors down from the laundry. As I walked past on my return to the hotel I noticed a guy in there wearing a paper bag as a hat. When I looked closer, I noticed there was a face drawn on the back of it; I thought it looked really funny. I went to the side window where he and a woman were sitting; I knocked on the window, pointed to his hat and smiled with a thumbs up approval. He scowled a bit at me and shook his head while the woman gave me a back handed “shooing” motion. I thought, why so mean? He should be a fun guy with that paper bag hat. Then I thought, maybe he lost a bet and has to wear that stupid hat as a result? Or maybe it’s some religion I don’t understand and shouldn’t laugh at? Or, maybe I just look like a crazy hobo who should mind his own business.

On my way back I crossed the street to make a quick stop into Sun Records studios. As you probably know, and can read from the sign below, a lot of artists in the 1950s got their start at Sun. It’s now a museum, but I didn’t want to stick around for 90 minutes awaiting the next tour. I browsed the gift shop where there’s a lot of old photos of Elvis, Johnny Cash, etc. I bought a box of matches as the igniter on the camp stove has been a bit problematic, and the lighter I bought at the Casey’s in Brainerd has never worked.

Continuing my walk there were several murals on buildings; it seemed some people were trying to develop this neighborhood. There was a billboard advertising Graceland; I determined it will be better to return to Graceland with Christin – we were last there in 1992. And, one small sign in a store window jumped out specifically to me. It was perfect as I prepared mentally to get back in the saddle tomorrow.

Finally, I walked past a U-Haul store and noticed a story of the Hagerman horse. We took a family vacation to Idaho a few summers ago; we didn’t know there was a famous Hagerman fossil bed there or anything called a Hagerman horse. We never tried to determine if there was any relation there between us Hagers and the Hagermans, but we found it interesting, and it was an interesting coincidence seeing that in Memphis.

I had time back at the hotel to do some reading and finish the book I brought. I wanted to finish this so I could give it to Lecy on his return, but now that won’t be happening. Maybe this was part of his reasoning why he won’t return.

I went back to the Kooky Canuck for a prime rib sandwich and mac-n-cheese lunch and then out to Beale street again for music with my pulled pork and fries (whew – I remembered to get some potatoes in Chad’s honor). I ate everything, though I was not hungry before either of these meals. And, a sensible person would’ve split these meals with someone, so I felt like I ate 4 times more food than I should. I guess that was the objective. I feel I’ve shared enough food photos and music clips; there was nothing in this evening’s images that was particularly notable.

I returned to the hotel for an early bedtime. I had decided I was now a bit bored being alone in a fun town and I’d rather be back on the river finishing my job. Before I went to bed I turned on some more football and sat in bed while I iced my knees. After some time, I realized the melting ice was making the bed wet. Thankfully I had a king size, so I’ll be able to sleep on the other, dry side. But then I worried, what if the cleaners tomorrow morning think I wet the bed! I’m too young to wet the bed! I’ve now come to the point where I’m no longer too old to wet the bed, but too young; I’ll need to keep paddling to take another 10 years off and stave off the bed wetting.

I’ve really appreciated the diversity and variety of Memphis. I didn’t see much of it, but I met several colorful characters. In Walgreens today, a guy with green hair that matched his green anime short pants suit carried his Hello Kitty backpack up to me and asked me for $3 so he could get his drugs (he probably wasn’t lying, he would use the money for drugs, just not the prescribed type). So, my music choice today is inspired by all of the colorful people and things that I experienced here in 2+ days: Black Pumas Colors