The old fruit stand...

Ever pass by something so many times, something so ordinary that it barely commands your attention, that it becomes almost invisible? For a period of more than 10 years, I drove my kids back and forth to college, a 16-18 hour trek from Chicago to Tallahassee, Florida and back. At times, it could be a tedious journey - outside of a few big cities and towns along the way, there was nothing much to see. In an effort to keep the trip interesting on those long stretches between cities - and to stay awake - I would look for something along the side of the road as a landmark. It had to be ordinary and permanent - something that would always be there.

I had chosen several of these landmarks along the way during that 10-plus year span - the extermely high railroad trestle near the Tennessee River; the silver grain silo in Indiana; the huge fireworks store near the Georgia-Tennessee border. These were all very ordinary objects that probably would have faded in my memory had I not chosen them as landmarks. They helped me deal with the tedium of the long drive as I looked forward to hitting each of these spots. Best of all, they were always there.

The most ordinary of these landmarks, however, was the old fruit stand along Route 319, south of Tifton, Georgia. On my way to Tallahassee, it was a sign that I was almost there; on my way back home, it signified that I was nearing the access to I-75 that would soon get me to the Macon bypass and onto Atlanta. Although I never stopped to buy anything, that little fruit stand was always there.

My daughter graduated from Florida A&M this past August, and I was assigned to drive her car back up to Chicago. It was going to be a nostalgic drive for me, the last time I would have to make this trip after more than 10 years of doing so. I looked forward to stopping at the fruit stand and finally buying some fruit, especially since it was going to be my last time seeing my old friend. Alas, as I approached the stand, I could see it was closed, and looking like it had been closed for some time. Perhaps it was fitting that I found it closed on my last journey along Route 319 in southern Georgia.

I was very disappointed in myself for never having stopped once in those 10 years to buy fruit. I did get this photo of it as a reminder to never put off things that just might bring you even the tiniest bit of joy in your life. They may not always be there.