Saturday, August 13, 2011

Flicker Of Hope...GONE


For almost five months, I've passed this sign twice a week. Located in Valley City, North Dakota at exit 290 on I-94, it seems it was once a marker for the Flickertail Motel, which for over 50 years was located just off the exit and up the hill. The only thing I could find on the Flickertail, was this article which talks about the larger sign being taken down after the hotel was bought by a couple who intended to live in the attached home.

I love the old signs. And this one was beautiful. It was metal, with a red background and white letters. It caught the light beautifully on several occassions when I drove by. It was one of those signs that told a little story; about the days when small motels, run by local families, were the only option for travelers. but now it lay forgotten, among the uncut grass and weeds. But it was very cool and I wanted a picture of it.

Stopping to get that picture though, had been a bit of a challenge - sometimes it was dark when I passed through, sometimes I was on the wrong side of the interstate, and always I would have had to pull over on the shoulder in front of the sign and take a quick snap of it out the window. Plus, Ed kept saying, "Oh, you can get it next time. It's been there over 50 years, it's not going anywhere."

Well, the last time I drove through, I turned my head as usual to look at it (I was heading west, the sign is on the east bound side), and it was gone.

GONE!!!

OMG, my stomach immediately did an unpleasant flip and my head did a small spin. I was thinking, WTF?? Where did it go?? I couldn't stop, but I was SO upset because I had all those times when I could have taken the shot and didn't. And now it was GONE.

On the way back, I slowed down to take a look and it appeared as if the sign just finally fell off its metal poles. I was thinking, did a storm come through? Did a fat bird land on it and it collapsed under the weight?? I was beside myself.

Now I will never get that photo. That moment in time is gone forever. But I did realize that I learned a valuable lesson.

Don't put off for tomorrow what you could do today.

I've always poo-pooed that saying before, but now I've lived it! Carpe diem!




3 comments:

june in florida said...

Great story and good lesson.

ELH said...

something we all can learn from..

all things bradbury said...

that has happened to us several times out here....and i hate it....