Trip

When “I’ve Been Everywhere” by Johnny Cash came on her playlist, Joleen leapt off the couch, cranked it up and cried out, “C’mon Jack, let’s bust a move!”  

“Shake it, baby, shake it!” Jack yelled out as Joleen shimmied and he … well … he did his best. Joleen giggled. 

“Whew!” Jack exclaimed as they collapsed back on the couch, breathless. After a minute or so, he said “We really need to get in shape, you know.” 

“You know what else? We need get off our duffs and go everywhere, like Johnny says.” Joleen responded. “Say, where is Tocapillo, anyway?” 

“Don’t know,” Jack said. 

“See? That’s just the thing. I’m getting really tired of retirement, aren’t you? We saved up a nest egg, sent the kids to school. It’s big, really big out there. Time to explore it, what do you say? Start small, then go big?” 

“Say, I’m liking it. I’m getting really bored too. You can only watch so much TV. It’s been six months since we both took retirement. Let’s go!” 

They spent the next couple of days excitedly planning their travel adventure, following Joleen’s suggestion they go from small to big. 

Months later, they wrote down their most memorable moment from each place they visited as a keepsake. 

• Started their marathon in Marathon. 
• Ate bacon in Bacon. 
• Visited the birthplace of Kermit the Frog in Kermit. 

• Visited the birthplace of Elmo in Elmo. 
• Were uncertain if they really were in Uncertain. 
• Looked for trees in Notrees and found none. 
• Ding Dong! Rang bells in Ding Dong. 
• Counted their blessings in Blessings. 

• Were humbled in Humble. 
• Cut the rug and shot a gun in Cut and Shoot. 
• Ate oatmeal in Oatmeal. 
• Put a dime in the juke box in Dime Box. 
• Went loco in Loco. 

• Attended the Where the Hell is San Leon festival in San Leon. 
• Rock and rolled in Cleveland. 
• Watched cars roll by in Detroit. 
• Rolled the dice in Reno. 
• Entered Italy then roamed in Rome. 

• Found a portrait of a young man as an artist in Dublin. 
• Tiptoed through the tulips in Holland. 
• Philosophized in Athens. 
• Drank wine in Paris. 

Having relived their travel memories, Jack exclaimed, “It’s true! We’ve been everywhere, boys!” 

“Well, everywhere in Texas anyway,” Joleen clarified.  “Next year, it’s on to Oklahoma!” 

Copyright © Johnny Clack 2022

~~~ 

For your listening pleasure, “I’ve Been Everywhere” by Johnny Cash.