::Georgia...Part 1::

I have so many thoughts swimming in my head right now, it's not even funny. I started composing this blog in my head on the plane ride home Sunday night. "How can I put into words what happened to me?" I thought to myself as we waited to taxi down the runway at the Atlanta airport. It's not that I can't talk about it, but there are so many things to say.

I guess I'll start at the beginning with what seemed like the most ridiculous thing in the world—beans, sandals, peanut butter, vitamins, pillowcases, and mail. These were the items that were contained in a medium sized suitcase that just made the 50 lb. maximum weight limit for baggage. You see, I was going to visit one of my very best friends who just got a job in the deep south of Georgia. She has a fascination with a certain Mexican chili bean that she realized she can no longer get in Georgia. That's when I come into the picture. It started with a phone call, or maybe it was a facebook message. I can't remember. Anyway, Misty asked, "Could you please bring me some beans?" Me being the great friend that I am, I of course said yes. This was, after all, a trip to make up for me getting sick and not being able to help her move. I felt like I at least owed her this much. So, there I was Wednesday night, my small suitcase with enough clothes for my short, two-day trip, and what I now dubbed "Misty's suitcase," much bigger than mine, and filled with beans and all the worldly possessions she had managed to forget during the chaotic move to Georgia just over a month ago.

I got to the Akron/Canton airport with plenty of time to spare, and I tried to do the homework I was dreading. Finally, my boarding call came a little late due to some ice that the plane had encountered on the way to Akron. We had an uneventful flight to Atlanta, GA, followed by another uneventful flight to the Albany, GA, airport where Misty waited to greet me. I barely recognized her. She hadn't changed that much. I had seen her new haircut before she left for Georgia. It made me wonder what growing up did to a person to make them look different. I pondered this as we drove to the small town where Misty lives. She pointed out the important landmarks on the way, and we caught up on all the news.

When we got to the house, I immediately opened the bean filled suitcase (20 cans to be precise) to see if the dreaded white slip was in the case—it was. Yes, my suitcase had been inspected. I am sure that by now, the contents of my suitcase had been broadcasted throughout the entire greater Atlanta area. They are, no doubt, thinking that whoever carries a suitcase filled with cans of beans has to be a crazed loon ready to bomb the entire state. To make matters worse, I had borrowed my mom's suitcase which was covered in cat's—not real ones—no it looked like the suitcase had puked up cat tapestry and wrapped itself in the gaudy material. Misty and I had a good laugh over the stories that we imagined were spreading at the airport. We figure my suitcase set off every metal detector within a 50 mile radius. They most likely had brought in the bomb squad, SWAT team, and the FBI. We envisioned dogs sniffing this ridiculous suitcase and howling at the contents.


After our overactive imaginations had settled down, we got to work storing the beans in a hidden cabinet so that Misty's guests wouldn't think less of her and her bean obsession.

As I stowed my luggage in the guest room, (still seems strange that Misty has a guest room, two for that matter!), I turned my phone on to get a message from my mom that changed my plans entirely...

STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT INSTALLMENT OF ::GEORGIA::