I left Raleigh at a decent time, but not quite as early as I had wanted - I had been there before on a student recruitment event, so I did not spend much time exploring. Traveling down to Myrtle Beach proved interesting for a couple reasons - I found an unexpectedly beautiful scene behind a waffle house, did a painting, and my car battery died (don't worry it has a happy ending).
I'm not sure I've been to Waffle House before, and honestly it's a little shocking to me, but it is what it is. Delicious. That's what it is! I had some grits, country ham, a couple eggs, a muffin, and a ... waffle. I went back and forth on ordering so much food, but decided it was a stupid enough joke and went for it. Yeah, look, I just think you have to make a joke about waffling if you're writing about Waffle House. Anyways, I pulled into the parking space and saw this scene:
It has a beautiful smattering of natural colors, a pretty old car, a charming slightly worn building, and a makeshift fence. Everything you want for a piece of Americana. So I asked if it was ok to setup my easel in the parking lot, and started to paint.
One thing lead to another, and sure enough I left my car on... but not idling. Like an idiot. Annnnnnd, the battery died. The staff of the waffle house were understanding, and offered to get help, but I'm a proud member of AAA and scheduled an driver to come out and give my car a jump, but it was going to be more than hour, and my windows were open, and I was tired because of all that food (both of those last ones were on me... whoops).
That is when, a man in a black and white truck showed up, shouted "battery?" and proceded to pull out an inverter, and give me a jump for free. He said that he works on cars, and carries the inverter exactly for situations like this. And what can I say, he was able to ride up, and save my ass :) An inverter seems like something worth carrying... also, that he is a saint: he refused payment, and simply accepted my thanks. Not very far down south, and soon into my trip experiencing southern hospitality!
Long story short, I felt as though the universe did me a solid, I should pass that on. I gave the painting to a waitress whom was particularly enamored with it. It was a nice way to immediately pay down my karmatic debt and seeing the look on her face was wonderful. Before handing it off, I did test the painting carrier... and it works brilliantly! Except for getting a little paint on my car!
After giving my car was started, and giving the painting away - I went on my way to Myrtle Beach, I bid my farewell, and left immediately, because I couldn't shut off my engine for a half hour and honestly had to pee pretty badly. I would have went in the trees next to the fence but there were people actively working on it, and that would have been uh, rather awkward.
I don't have a lot to say about Myrtle Beach, other than that it's a place with nice people, that feels as though it would be best explored with friends. I lose some of the best aspects of traveling alone, and it's part of the reason I'm writing this, to have touch points back to my friends and family. I must say though that the people I have met on the road have made my journey all that much better.