Day 17: My hometown

Farewell Delaware. I had so much fun seeing Chloe and Evan, while getting to know her family. I enjoyed talking with everyone in the morning while drinking my coffee and typing up the blog. I set out for Virginia at around 10 am. Immediately crossing the state line my heart began to pound, my mind jumbled, and my nerves were buzzing. Virginia represents for me uneasiness, heartache, and abandonment. It's too bad I hate this place because it's a beautiful, very lush with history and beaches, an abundance of tourist activities for everyone who wants to learn about Jamestown and Yorktown - yes, Williamsburg is probably one of the top ten places people who love history should go, on my list anyway. However - as stated before - I.hate.this.place. Calling my dad, Sandy, Kassie - anyone - I got my mind off the nerves and kept driving. After my first round of phone calls I was fine. I drove along admiring the beautiful trees lining the highways, the beaches, and the signs indicating what was to come. I know it's odd but their road signs are nicely done, I especially like how they have large intricate signs welcoming you into every town.
This isn't just in Virginia - I noticed it in Delaware and Maryland a little as well. haha! I really can talk about anything. Anyway the more familiar the signs, the worse my heart beat and the more stressed out I got - so back to phone calls. As I drove toward Erics cemetary I got a call back from Sandy. I spoke to her as I made the all too familiar turns down each street - none of which I know by name, only by heart. I got there and had to get off the phone because there wasn't a grave marker. Of course, I know the exact spot where he lay and walking back to my car, angry and hurt about his unmarked grave, I began crying. I drove to the office and asked them why it wasn't marked. The answer so obvious it's ridiculous, but you don't think about these things when you're sobbing and angry. Of course, we've never purchased a grave stone, which makes sense when all the details are added up. I got information on how much it would cost to move him and how much stones were - incase he stayed - then the lady began chatting me up about where I'm from, where i'm going, what I do, etc. I totally forgot how the south works haha, everyone genuinely wants to know exactly who you are. She even introduced me to her coworkers, as if I would ever see them again - part of me loves that about this place and another part of me wants to move on quicker than people allow. I drove back to sit with him for a while and left a little of my mom there as I walked away. Driving to Jamie's house was unfamiliar - thank God. Once I got there we hugged and looked at eachother wondering who the other was. We havn't seen eachother for six years so of course we're different. We both changed in similar ways though so we still get along. Walking around the neighborhood with Jamie and her daughter I was taken back by how gorgeous all the houses are.
The old colonial style is really present all over Williamsburg and I love it. It helps that this street recalls nothing for me. It is so muggy here though and I definitely remember the smells that coincide with this time of year. Even Jamie relayed some old memories that I had long forgotten, probably for the better. Once we got back from our walk we watched How I Met Your Mother and waited for her husband to get off work.
We went to dinner at black and blue or something like that. Delicious. When we picked their daughter up from "Mamaw and Papaw's" there were a host of people standing in the kitchen and all of them asked me questions - the typical southern who, where from, where to, how come, and the follow-up questions to each answer. I do love it down here and being around places and people I don't know helps being here at all. Today I will visit Eric one more time before heading to Tennessee. The biggest exhale ever.


Songs of the day:
Little Pink Houses - John Mellencamp
Your Hands - JJ Heller
I Feel Good - James Brown