The Discombobulate

I hereby christen this town, "The Discombobulate". I know that's a verb, not a noun, but I'm throwing grammar out the window right now. *Gasp, shock, faint in horror* If you thought it was impossible for me to get lost in Lubbock where everything is laid out in a grid with boring street names like "Q," you should see me in this place.

I ventured out yesterday to get applications for jobs, and I went in so many circles, I had to pull over for coffee so as to stop my head from spinning. There's a river that goes through the middle of town. The roads follow and/or cross the river inadvertently with seemingly no pattern or sense thrown into the mix. One wrong turn, and somehow I ended up out in the country - I have no idea if I was North, South, East, or West of town. The difference from Lubbock is...The Discombobulate threw me into a confusion that I actually loved. This town thinks the same way I do...it just goes where the river takes it. And who can predict that?

I'm like a foreigner here though...I suppose I'm from Texas, so I might as well be. I went to get gas the second day I was here. I get out, I put in my card. I put the pump in; it's pumping away. Then this woman who works there walks by, looks at me weird and goes, "You can't pump your own gas here!"

I politely responded, "I'm sorry. I didn't know. I just moved here." She glanced down at my license plate. Unfortunately, I had driven my mom's car that day which has Oregon plates actually. Her face showed like 8 different signs of disbelief. So, I just sighed and waited while she told another attendant that I had pumped my own gas and to go make sure I didn't do anything wrong. It felt like I was in South Africa all over again. They can't pump their own gas either.

Anyway, I stereotypically live in my parents' basement. I'm a supposed product of the "Boomerang Generation" or whatever they're calling us these days. I have to find a job and make money to save for grad school - which I think sets me apart from some of those other Boomerang kids. My job is writing. Unfortunately, that doesn't make me any money right now. So, stifle the nomadic spirit. I guess I'll go find a job.