Here we go, life's waiting to begin....

Lin_See — Tue, 27 May 2008 03:29:00 GMT

I had planned a whole blog entry here, my first on this ole' MJF Internship blog, about being on the road to L.A., there were some Gilbert Grape references and comparisons planned, but then...

Well, then I suddenly found myself stranded on the side of I-40 at the Oklahoma/Texas state line. Locked out of my car. That's right, LOCKED OUT OF MY CAR. How on Earth did you manage that Lindsey?

Oh my...

It's the kind of thing only I would do. There I was, with my parents and my grandparents, and my friends voices all ringing in my head saying "Pull over and rest if you get tired!!" and well, yeah, I was tired. My eyes were drooping and my legs were cramping. There was nothing in sight, no exits coming up, no gas stations -- nothing.

But at the state line between Texas and Oklahoma, the shoulder is very wide. So I pulled over. I got out of my car, leaving my keys in the ignition (the car was turned off thank God) I stretched and went around to the passenger side to gather up some trash and get it out of the front seat. A couple of minutes stretching, waking myself up, and I'm ready to go -- I can make it the next 100 miles to Amarillo, no problem.

I shut the door and walk back around to the driver's side. As soon as I put my hand on the driver's side handle I hear "CLICK" and all of the doors are locked. My keys, my phone, everything locked safely inside.

PANIC!

I freaked a little, I had no idea what to do. I'm standing there looking around trying to see if there is ANY thing nearby that I could walk to and ask for help -- NOTHING. So I stand a little while longer thinking surely a sheriff or trooper will drive by. Nothing. No one stops, no police, nothing. But I did have my bluetooth earpiece on. My stupid, ridiculous earpiece that I HATE, actually saved me.

I started pressing buttons and finally it started ringing. I had no idea who I was calling until they picked up - it was Brianna. A complicated series of phone calls gets me in touch with my parents who call the OK highway patrol and locate a locksmith 60 miles away. Meanwhile, a nice couple from New Mexico have stopped to help me. They head up the road a few miles to find a gas station and come back with the sheriff from Sayre, OK. He's got a locksmith coming from 15 miles away, even better.

I'm standing there with the sheriff, trucks and cars whizzing by mere feet away and this is what he says to me:

Sheriff: You're lucky none of these hillbillies came and messed with you.

Me: Um...yeah?

Sheriff: Have you seen 'The Hills Have Eyes?"

Me: No?

Sheriff: Well that's probably a good thing, that movie is here, this place, those hillbillies back over there (he points directly behind us).

Yeah, so at this point I'm thinking -- is this guy for real? Is he really the sheriff or is the sheriff's body stuffed in the trunk of his cruiser? And I'm REALLY glad now that I didn't accept his offer to come sit in the cruiser with him.

Ultimately, I was in my car about 40 minutes later and back on the road.

Road Lesson #1: NEVER leave your keys in the car for ANY reason.

Road Lesson #2: BEWARE of small town sheriffs...

In addition to being completely emotional about leaving home for the first time ever, and everything I've ever known, my nerves were completely shot by the end of the day yesterday from that fiasco. Luckily, today went incredibly well, we made a quick stop early in the morning at Cadillac Ranch:

Then proceeded to drive 700 miles to Kingman, AZ where I am right now at a cheap hotel, that is surprisingly roomy and nice for the price:

Tomorrow, it's 348 miles to L.A. and then a practice drive to the studio before CRASHING for the night. I am exhausted, who knew sitting in a car doing nothing really could be so tiring. I am shaky, and swollen, and sore, and tired. But it will all be worth it.

Total miles today: 700ish

Total Gas Cost: Somewhere around $250

Current Road Theme: 'Self Destructive Zone" by Drive By Truckers

Current Time: BED TIME!

Eureka! An Internship at NBC/Universal : New Mexico

Here we go, life's waiting to begin....