Florida to New York

My first summer selling books was living in the town of Pottsville, PA in 2001. My two roommates and I were able to score a huge place where three priests lived from the local Catholic Church. This place was huge because at one time it had held over eight priests. Also this place was right next door to the Yuengling Beer Brewery, American’s oldest brewery. It was a great smell to wake up too every morning.
I begin to empty out of new houses with one small mining town and so it was time to move on to the next town. I slip out onto interstate 81 to get over to the next town quickly. It’s only about a 10 mile difference but I want to get over quickly to do some afternoon mapping. As I begin to slip out on the road, I notice a man hitch hiking. Strangely enough he is holding sign that just says the next town up. I picked him up and offer the lift. He gladly accepts and we are on our way. As I begin to speak with this gentleman or let him speak mostly, I figured I talked to people all day and he has been to himself, so he could do the talking. He began to speak of his past and how he had gotten to this point. Somewhere along the story I caught that he was from Florida. I ask why on Earth was headed to Frackville, PA from Florida. He replied “I’m not; I am headed to New York.” In my lack of understanding I asked about his sign. He kindly replied, “You see David, you can’t just leave Florida and write New York on your sign. That isn’t how it works. I just write the next town up. Then, when I get there, I re-write the next town up. If I keep my head up to just one town at a time, I’ll get to New York. You can’t make the long trip all at one time”
By this time I was pulling off the interstate, it was time for him to make a new sign. I gave the guy the 2 sandwiches I had packed for the day. It was the least I could offer for the life lesson. Since then I have remember that story whenever I get frustrated about not hitting my goals all at one time. It was a tremendous lesson for a 20 year old man to have for the rest of the summer and the rest of my life. I don’t have to get the end just to the next spot along the way and one day I will look up and be in New York or in my case, a sunny central American island where I scuba dive all day! So maybe that is why we are here.