Man, as we speak we are on the RV at a stop in Barstow, while Mariana skypes her mom in Australia, and I write this blog after having an impromptu Roadtrip interview at a gas station. Amazing how roads connect people at certain times and at certain points in life all depending on circumstance and the twisting and winding roads we live in called life.
We had been to three gas stations searching for diesel for the RV, and went 0 for 3 til we got to the Flying J, a trucker and gas stop. We got out and paid for gas and were getting ready to fill up but the hose of the pump was too big, so we were directed to the other side of the gas station to fill up, where we would meet one, Mr. Robert Evans.
He came up to us and asked us to wash our windows, and of course I was skeptical, but he had an eloquent way of words and a very gentle approach and asked us if he could wash our windows, and luckily nicole had some money for him. As he washed our windows he asked us what Roadtrip Nation was all about aad we told him all about it, and he seemed really keen on the idea, and then he spoke to us about his life story, going to school at San Jose State, living in the Bay Area for 16 years, working as a mortgage banker, selling cars, then becoming unemployed and becoming a window washer back in Barstow.
After he finished we thanked him and he went on his way, and so did we. After finishing up fueling the RV i was on my way back in to the store to pick up a drink when Robert stopped me and asked me more about Roadtrip and our route, and I talked to him about how we really wanna share stories with people in order to inspire them, that was when he told me about how we was washing windows in order to help charities in Barstow raise funds. At that point i was totally blown away, because right away I connected it to myself and my times in life that I was put in a situation where it was time to put my pride aside and do what needed to be done in certain circumstances, but I couldn't envision myself going from a lucrative career, to washing windows in a gas station in Barstow. But that's where having a vision a dream and goal comes into place.
Naturally we needed to get his story and share it to the rest of our generation, so we invited Robert onto the RV, got the cameras rolling, mic'd him up and interviewed him and had him sign the RV. The most amazing thing about Robert that I kept thinking about was his ability to have the foresight to wash windows and look beyond what people might think, perceive, or look down on him, because he is too busy focusing on his dream and working towards it. It's definitely something I need to apply to my life in all aspects, focusing on the reality of a situation and the goal of it and it's meaning to me, rather than its perception to others. Thanks, Robert, so glad you washed our windows.
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2 comments:
haha what was the line i said about the freeways connecting? tizzle and ironic that i tried to drop the teal year quote today
awesome ray!! sounds like you guys are enjoying and learning from the open road. keep up the great work :)
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