Trip

I was taking a drive through several counties in West Virginia back in 2007 I think it was.

As I was taking a drive through a many different counties. All I noticed was nothing in every one of them. All dead! So first county I went in, yeah, alot of stores, restaurants, and whatnot but nothing seemed to amuse me right then. I was driving along. I strolled into the second and third counties, absolute dread. There were many schools which I saw were burnt down, no police stations, no fire stations, along with alot homes burnt, too and no stores there, nothing. I can see why places were burnt down, it was out in the boonies and if you wanted to get to a store or hospital, it would take at least 3 hours, so no relief for a fire. About the third county, it was so stupid to see, a toilet sitting outside a trailer which someone was sitting on, outside! I mean it was outside.

 A rolling through, there was some mines and railroad tracks. I got to the fifth county and I mean through all of these places I've been, there was no one to be seen until I saw what looked like a 12 year old girl standing outside of an apartment smoking a cigarette. I was going to approach her and ask her what was there, what was to do there and where is everyone? I hesitated and I decided not to and kept on trucking for she could have been waiting on her pimp, wanting to pull tricks or waiting to deliver drugs, I don't know, you never can know, really. Finally getting out of there, went through this one county nothing! again. But, I swear this, I saw Toby in one town, yeah, this awkward looking short guy who was completely covered in winter clothing, yeah, I just called him Toby! Another county, this one big sharp curve on which I know there were probably people who got killed. I mean there were no signs, a big ol' cliff there at the boot!

 I know I was finally getting somewhere but then come to where I was stuck in toll booths,  what looked like a movie set I saw, was, I found out later on. I was stuck in the truck lane until I pulled off across a bridge. All that change money for nothing and getting stuck in between coal trucks was not fun! Everything finally started looking better at last. I was so glad to be home and arrive safely. I was thankful that where we lived at least had some convenience and normalcy or not! I found out later on, it didn't.

Reviews

[betsycatwv]

thanks for the insight

[S. D. Blankenship]

Dear, Betsy--

I have reviewed this road trip you have placed into words. I hope I have helped. My reviews are for helping advice (only) and hope you take my review with a grain of salt.

As I was taking a drive through (a) [this “a” is not recommended here.] many different counties. (All I noticed was nothing in every one of them.) [What about saying: It was as if the life was drained from the small towns I had grown to love.] (All) [might want to change this to “everything”] dead! So [might want to add the word “the” here] first county I went (in) [change “in” to though. , yeah, (alot) [“alot” is not a word, try “a lot”] of stores, restaurants, and whatnot [,] but nothing seemed to amuse me right then. I (was) try keeping your story in the same time “drove”] driving along. I strolled into the second and third counties, absolute dread. (There were many schools which I saw were burnt down, no police stations, no fire stations, along with alot homes burnt, too and no stores there, nothing.) [ The ruble now show the lonely grave of the burnt schools. The lawless towns had no Community. I can see why places (were) [“Had”] burnt down, it was out in the boonies and if you wanted to get to a store or hospital, it would take at least 3 hours, so no relief for a fire. About the third county, it was so stupid to see, a toilet sitting outside a trailer which someone was sitting on, outside! I mean it was outside.

(A) [?] rolling through, there (was) [“Were”] some [coal] mines and railroad tracks. [This is not a full idea.] I got to the fifth county and I mean through all of these places I've been, there was no one to be seen until I saw what looked like a 12 year old girl standing outside of an apartment smoking a cigarette. I was going to approach her and ask her what was there, what was to do there and where is everyone? I hesitated and I decided not to and kept on trucking for she could have been waiting on her pimp, wanting to pull tricks or waiting to deliver drugs, I don't know, you never can know, really. Finally getting out of there, went through this one county[,] nothing! again. But, I swear this, I saw Toby in one town, yeah, this awkward looking short guy who was completely covered in winter clothing, yeah, I just called him Toby! Another county, this one big sharp [‘degree’] curve on which I know there were probably people who [had now only a cross on the side of the road is the only life they remember.] got killed. I mean there were no signs [marking the meeting spot of] a big ol' cliff there at the boot!

I know I was finally getting somewhere but then come to where I was stuck in toll booths, what looked like a movie set I saw, was, I found out later on. I was stuck in the truck lane until I pulled off across a bridge. All that change money for nothing and getting stuck in between coal trucks was not fun! Everything finally started looking better at last. I was so glad to be home and arrive safely. I was thankful that where we lived at least had some convenience and normalcy [{]or not![}] I found out later on, it didn't.