January 10, 2014

1/10/14. YES I am HAPPY!!!! I am determined to be happy because that goes with my gift of LIFE. Yesterday evening I decided to try a motel downtown Lancaster because it was on my direct route. Though such located motels can be pretty shabby, this one looked very nice. As I was about to enter the lobby, a gentleman looked at me and my cart with a scowl. I entered and asked the lady at the desk if she had a vacancy even though the sign said VACANCY. She said yes. As I handed her my card and was telling her I was walking, the scowling gentleman opened a door behind her and whispered something I was unable to hear. The lady then turned to me and said she was very sorry but all the rooms were taken. Now, I had to walk backwards and off my route over a mile and a half to where most of the motels were. Just as I neared the one I had chosen, I called just to make sure they had availability even though I had just confirmed it online. The lady was very pleasant and asked smoking or non-smoking, I chose the latter. She asked how many days and I told her at the price of $55.00 I might get it for one more night but wasn’t sure yet. She said that wasn’t a problem, just let her know. As we were talking I saw the motel sign. I unhitched my cart and walked in smiling big and handed her my card. She said, “You’re walking?!” I told her yes, and why I walked. She said she wasn’t sure they had a room and it would be $75.00 plus tax and it would have to be a smoking room. I reminded her that only minutes ago it was she told me a totally different story and was much more pleasant. She looked out the window at my cart and said, “That thing is all full of trash and stuff!” I explained that was my luggage containing my clothes, sleeping bag, and tent. I was very tired and needed a room and so I kept repeating what she had said to me on the phone. She finally said that I could stay but for only one night and in a smoking room. I took the room.

Now, I could get all mad at a business located in Los Angeles County and accustomed to dealing with lots of bad situations and cause myself to be miserable, or, I could look past it and be HAPPY! I could forget all about running into John Moran on his bike earlier in the day who kept me from continuing the wrong way. And forget about Ra Cienfuegos stopping and giving me a bag of assorted fresh fruit and forget about Larry, who sells jerky for a living stopping and giving me a huge bag of fresh Honey Turkey Jerky. And I could bitch and moan and forget all about the times I’ve been given free rooms by motel owners. Well, I’m not going to forget those positive things and trade them for the negative. I cannot change those motel owners I can only change me. And by God, no one is going to steal my happiness!! LOVE LIFE my friends! I am rested and leaving my comfortable room in moments headed to CA route 138 west and then take CA 33 toward Stockton.