Introduction; A tradition of philanthropy; Big trains; Hot diggetty dang; Every town has its tag.
Some journeys are more suitable for introspection than others. Deep thoughts are all well and good, but tend to evaporate like drops of petrol on a hot cylinder head once you arrive at your destination. Fortunately the front seat of the BonkersMobile is wide and comfy, giving plenty of opportunity to take memory-jogging photos and make notes for your edification, o beloved reader.
Philanthropy. The Americans do it. The Brits don’t. Our idea of charitable giving is putting the spare change from a Pret £4.99 sandwich into the little box under the till, or leaving a few thousand pounds to the Guide Dogs for the Blind in our wills. Americans give generously to any cause, and are rewarded with public recognition. Every museum, gallery, monument, restoration project that we have walked past has lists of donors displayed. A single museum will have separate lists of donors on different exhibits. Would Britain have a nicer, kinder society if we did this? Is America a nicer, kinder society because it does? Discuss.
Big trains. The American rail network is primarily now for freight. And train freight is not generally in a hurry, so you can join 40 or 60 or 89 (I counted) large freight wagons together into a single train and drive it through Eugene’s main street. But then the train is very heavy, so it needs 4 engines (I counted those too) to pull it. And when each of those engines goes past 3 whistle boards on the way through town, well let’s just say that you know when a train is approaching. Also the big queues at the level crossings are a giveaway because it takes a train that long several minutes to pass.
Hot dog! Diggetty dang!! This needs some explanation. On Nereus one night we were playing a local version of charades, and I picked “hot dog”, with the challenge to give some words as a clue. So I said “Diggetty dang” and was met with a row of extremely blank faces. After that I went for the somewhat (I now realise) more obvious clue of “sausage in a bun with mustard”, so the game was saved, but surely there IS a phrase “Hot dog, Diggetty dang!”?? Anyway, there is now, because the Nereus/Black Watch team thought it was so bonkers that they have taken it back to their far-flung corners of America. Ha ha. Thus I stamp my mark on American culture.
Town tag lines. Every town, city, state, high school and probably dog grooming parlour needs a tag line. Oddly, along the Pacific Coast Highway we have only encountered two tag lines. Towns less than 30ft above sea level are A Tsunami Ready Community. Towns more than 30ft above sea level Honor Veterans and First Responders. I finish this note while musing on the discussions in the various town councils.