When I was a child, my parents came up with many ways to appease my irrational demands. I would get lost if we went to Disney World. I would get lost if we went to New York City. (Author's note: I eventually went to both and was not lost either time.) Yes, I had a fear of getting lost.
I had compromised with my mother that she would allow me to get my ears pierced when when I turned seven. Later on in second grade, I wanted more. I really, really, really wanted to get my ears double-pierced. I was such a rebel... The verdict this time was that I had to wait until 8th grade.
I suspect that they expected me to forget. I, however, did not and I still have pictures of that exciting day at Claire's inside the Southwyck Mall during the summer after 8th grade.
However, none of these can compare to my greatest victory over my parents attempts at appeasement.
I was somewhere around 9-years-old and the family was packed into our teal-colored Astro conversion van on our way to Tyler, TX for a family reunion.
As a professional road-tripper, I was skilled at the art of easy amusement. I could entertain myself for hours by only reading billboards-- and I mean every. single. billboard.
Somewhere in between ads for restaurants, hotels and strippers, I started getting hungry. My stomach was reminding me that it was time to ask when we would stop for dinner, and also letting me know that Cracker Barrel billboards worked -- stomach wanted pancakes.
My parents and brothers clearly were not feeling it, so my dad told me that we would only go to Cracker Barrel if it was “right next to the hotel.”
I nestled back into my seat, kept my hope for pancakes alive and resumed learning which Christian bookstores and McDonald's were nearby.
Approximately half an hour later, I saw the shining beacon of awesomeness, the most memorable billboard of them all: Microtel Inn - Right next to Cracker Barrel.
"Look," I shouted. "That hotel is right next to Cracker Barrel!"
My astonished parents sat with their mouths' agape. This was not what they planned.
They agreed that if the hotel was reasonably priced and appeared to be free of bed bugs, we would stop there.
We pulled off the highway and onto the exit ramp towards Joplin, Missouri.
In not too much time later, I was eating pancakes and we were spending the night at the Microtel Inn--right next to Cracker Barrel.
Of course, as a 9-year-old who longed to go back in time to rock out at the first Woodstock, my next question was if the city was named after Janis Joplin, but that's another story for another day.
Approximately half an hour later, I saw the shining beacon of awesomeness, the most memorable billboard of them all: Microtel Inn - Right next to Cracker Barrel.
"Look," I shouted. "That hotel is right next to Cracker Barrel!"
My astonished parents sat with their mouths' agape. This was not what they planned.
They agreed that if the hotel was reasonably priced and appeared to be free of bed bugs, we would stop there.
We pulled off the highway and onto the exit ramp towards Joplin, Missouri.
In not too much time later, I was eating pancakes and we were spending the night at the Microtel Inn--right next to Cracker Barrel.
Of course, as a 9-year-old who longed to go back in time to rock out at the first Woodstock, my next question was if the city was named after Janis Joplin, but that's another story for another day.
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