What to say about day two? We drove to Charlotte and seperately spent a few hours there. (Yes, there is such a thing as too much together time, especially for me. I can't stand anyone after seven hours, seven hours is my limit.) I purchased a latte at a Caribou Coffee, the area's Starbucks. (Although they also had Starbucks?) I walked around the jazzy city, asked a gentleman to snap a picture of me at some courtyard/grassy area I wondered over to, then I met with my mother and we left. I can't say that I was impressed. The buildings were built nicely -- Everything seemed efficient, but there weren't many people around. Maybe it was the time of day? I don't know, but it irked me nonetheless. A city needs it's people.
On route to Georgia we were stopped by another State Trooper. This one walked over to the passenger side window. The first contact that was made was my mother's line of: "O please don't give us a ticket." After eleven minutes the Trooper handed over a sheet of paper as he mumbled something about fighting the charge at court in March. Guess how much! $250 much. How is this legal? Two things: Speed limits are disgusting, and I will soon have a warrent out for my arrest in North Carolina because I refuse! to pay it. (Excuse the shoddy puncuation -- I need a little shout.)
After this unpleasant interruption to a some what dovey day I drove on to the soundtrack of my mother sobbing about the ticket. The woman loses it every time a ticket issue arises. I felt bad, real bad. She told me to slow down a number of times, But it's so hard -- The car accelrates with the slightest pressure! Yup I lost it.
Me: "I'm sorry."
Mother: "Maninha, I told you to slow down so many times!"
Me: "I know! That's why I kept speeding!"
Sobbing -- Sobbing
Me: "I can't take this anymore! It's too stressful!"
Mother: "You can't take what?"
Me: "I need to blast the music!"
Mother: "You can do what ever you want with the music!"
Me: "No! I know you don't like it! How am I going to enjoy something if I know you're misrable?"
Mother: "I can't believe that you got a ticket and you're yelling at me!"
Me: "I know! I'm sorry!"
Then it was silence for a long time. Then we pretended it never happened.
After a time we stopped off at a rest-stop for snacks. When we parked near the building we took note of the large black lab mix that was off the leash. My mother was naturally afraid to leave the car, and since he did not appear mean, I was not worried. Once I got out there Mr. Lab came right over. He was quite friendly and skinny. When I asked the cashier about the dog, the response I received was: "I think someone just left 'em here. He's been here for awhile and he doesn't have a collar." Then she told me that he wasn't the first, that there were a number of dogs that were abandoned there in that way. I felt sick upon hearing this. I went to the car to fetch the half eaten burger that I wasn't hungry for when I purchased it earlier, and fed it to the dog. I played with him a little, then attempted to persuade my mother that it was only right to take him with us. She did not agree.
After this we dreamed at a hotel in Georgia.
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