The Great Flora Adventure

My Mom and I have lots of adventures. We have traveled to Honduras and Japan together; adventure there was. But more importantly, we have adventures on simple trips right near home, too. Such as this one.

The day started normally enough. Mom decided that we needed to drive to Flora, MS to see a family friend and give her a Christmas present we had bought her. So we got in the car and took off.

And get lost. Mom didn't think of needing an address. I mean, how big can Flora be? Surely, given that we had heard our friend describe in vague terms where her house was, we could find it easily. My mother does not believe in things called "details" and "planning." While we are driving around Flora, a few...umm...events transpired.

First, we see a bar. But not just any bar. A Bar/Grill with a huge mural on the outside wall of Jesus being crucified. Sometimes you see things and you just know that you're in Mississippi. My 8-months-in-Florida self insists on pulling over and taking a picture. My mom saw nothing strange about the scene, making the whole situation more hilarious.

But the more I thought about the mural, the more beautiful I found it. There was something so ironic and soulful about it that I find breathtaking. And I love that people are so unafraid to express their religious views, especially through art. As a Christian, I should be better about letting my faith shine from me.

Next, we drive across some railroad tracks and see what we believe is a man in a pickup truck throw a can out of his window. Naturally, we do what most women in that situation would do in a deserted rural area with no one around. We swerve beside the truck, honking repeatedly. I roll down the window and we both start yelling at this man about respecting the environment and being a good citizen. Mom shakes her finger at him and tells him to get out and PICK UP HIS CAN! He stares at us incredulously for a moment, and then informs us that he did not mean to throw the can out. It was in the back bed of his truck. When he noticed it, he pulled over to get it... BEFORE we went crazy on him. Not going to lie---a fairly embarrassing situation. Well, if you believe him. Which we don't know if we do.

We continue driving around, and my mom's phone rings. It's our friend--she has seen us because she happens to be the car behind us. Again, one of those "only in Mississippi" moments that I am no longer used to after 8 months in Orlando!

After leaving our friend, we drive down the highway on the way home. We see a sign that says "Fresh Eggs". No matter that the sign is faded and we can't see the house. Fresh eggs? Yes, please! So we pull over. And drive to a house that's yard is littered with car parts and dogs. Seriously sketchy to the max environment... Y'all had to see it. Nope. Not a good idea. After less than two hours in Flora, we decide we have had enough adventure for one day and should probably avoid appearing on the nightly news as missing persons.

We stopped at Fresh Market in Madison on the way home. Plenty of fresh eggs there. No car parts or dogs. Or litterers. Or religious murals on the sides of bars.