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The drive to Maine was a bit more than I expected.  It was literally a trip down memory lane.  Every passing sign and highway junction was a memory that I could recall along with a smile.  As a child and teenager I would spend most Thanksgiving’s with my Grandparents in Washington, ME.  It is a 5 hour trip through MA, NH and ME.  As a kid I was fascinated by all the sites and smells of the “open road.” Sometimes we’d leave in the middle of the night so my brother and I could sleep in the truck and other times we’d leave early morning and get there with most of the day remaining.  Either way, my dad would bring us along all of our favorite sights.

There was always the broken ship that we loved.  I couldn’t tell you where it is now or if it even still exists, but all it was was an old clipper ship that was rotting away right alongside the river bank.  It was truly a sight to see.  Could have been a pirate ship for all we knew.  Sometimes, we’d request “the special way” which would take us by the cranes.  These cranes didn’t really mean anything to us at the time.  Come to think of it, they had absolutely no point.  They were just another point along our trip towards our final destination.  If we went by at night they were all lit up which was always a plus.  The NH liquor store was also an interesting landmark. We would all stop there to use the bathroom and dad would restock on beer for home.  Finally, the fondest landmark is the umbrella tree.  It is a giant tree, still standing today, that towers high above all the others and look like an umbrella. When this tree came into view it marked the last stretch of road before the house.  It was a momentous occasion when this tree came into view.

The only reason I am actually writing this today is because my dad actually pointed out the umbrella tree to me today.  I haven’t been here for about 4 years so had forgotten about it and most of the stuff along the way.  So when he finally said something to me it brought back all the memories of traveling, happiness, sadness, and everything in between.  It truly made me appreciate my humble up bringing.  I had missed a lot. The tree was now dead and would no longer grow any leaves.

This road that had been so familiar to me once was now a road forgotten.  It was no more familiar to me than a far away land that I had yet to visit.  I guess it made me a little sad.