Unsettled
I enjoy traveling. Seeing new things, eating new things, drinking new things... It's all good.
Something unsettled me while driving through the suburbs of Atlanta.
I couldn't put my finger on it the first day. Or the second. I finally figured it out on the drive to the airport...
It's the trees.
They're big. They're tall. They're covered in Kudzu.
For me, it was creepy.
Growing up in the midwest, I'm used to wide open spaces.
It didn't help that we were either driving on a 3 lane highway or a winding back country road. In either case, the trees seemed to be right next to the road towering up, way up.
Covered with Kudzu.
The vines reach out toward the road.
I had the distinct impression, that given a short amount of time, the vines would simply take over.
For me, it was as close to claustrophobia as I've come.
6 comments:
Gretchen,
This post has struck a chord with me..
I to grew up on the great plains, Nebraska to be more exact. NOOOO trees, nado.
I live in Arkansas now, where I am covered in trees, and kudzu...
I rarely get to see the sun set...
and the claustrophobia does wear off, bu I had it for 3 years
Three years... Oh my! I grew up in Iowa, perhaps a few more trees than Nebraska. Now living in Minnesota, I'm trying to get used to all the water.
Thanks for the comment!
I grew up on the plains, but within sight of the mountains. However, I had a hard time during my summer in Kentucky. The foliage felt like it was going to reach out and grab you!
LOL! I did the opposite. Grew up living either in mountains or southeastern US. Moved to flat, flat, flat Texas, and kept feeling like I was going to fall over or something. I'm used to it now (after 16 years).
Funny how what you see every day you think is right.
I grew up in Denver, moved to Tulsa and it is similar - lots of growth, big heavy trees in our front yard, the air heavy and humid and the sense of enclosure is strong, particularly in late July / early August.
I have enventually grown accustomed to it.
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