Route 66 Association of Illinois
Starting from the beginning of Route 66, there is the Route 66 Association of Illinois.
May you always be able to drive
I remember back when I went away for college at Northern Illinois University back in 1995 or so I had a tough time adjusting from my home life to the life of meeting and living with others in a dorm room setting. It was scary for me at least to have strangers in my personal space 24/7. At NIU back in 1995-1998 I was a victim of a bit of hazing from my peers. Being very sensitive by nature back then, and naive, I took things way too seriously on the mental front. I developed a very strange personality and was suffering mentally. With my new found freedom, I found myself drinking more and becoming more anti-social.
People at school did try and help me cope. I kept diving deeper and deeper into the isolation inside my own mind. Anyway, second year after living in the dorms, I lived with a friend Chris, Erik and Davide. Davide or Dave, was an English major/Professor from Italy. He was studying old English, reading and writing his papers. A serious student. I was more of a flake, and just trying to get my diploma to make my father and mother happy. For my future basically. Anyway, I was having deep mental issues that remained with me for many years after college. David saw me suffering and one birthday, he presented me with this little, green matchbox VW Beetle. He told me as he gave it to me…“So you may always drive away from your problems”. I kinda got the idea what he ment when he said those words to me back years ago. However, I found the car again in a drawer and it is one of my cherished possessions.
I look at this green car, and I want to remember that I must keep the problems out of my head and always be able to drive away from the troubles and problems in life. I also must remember never to create more problems for myself in this life. Anyway, I do look at people suffering at times and I kinda think of this green car. So far my mental instability at times almost caused me to go on the brink of the edge of no return, but I somehow remained flexible and returned to my somewhat normal state.
