Waking Up Read Online Free PDF Page B

to do next.  “ Survive the road, Tucker.”   My mom’s voice comes back to me.  “I’ve been trying, Mom.  I’ve been trying.  I wish you were here so I could ask you what to do.”  With shaking fingers, I dial Grams number and wait for the calmness to come.
    “Good morning, sweetie.  How did you sleep?”
    “Actually, Grams, I slept well.  I didn’t know where I was this morning.  It was eerie.”
    “Sounds like the place suits you,” she says in that wise voice I recognize; the voice she uses when she knows something I don’t.
    “What are you getting at, Grams?  I can tell you have something to say, so spit it out.”  I love her, but sometimes it freaks me out how much she can tell me about how life will go.  I swear she can tell the future.
    “Just seems to me if you slept so good you forgot where you were then maybe you should forget where you are and try spending some more time there.  Give the place a chance, my boy.”  Ah, Grams logic.  If the shoe fits…  
    “I’m trying to stick to my word and find an adventure here, Grams, but it doesn’t seem like there’s really anything here.  I don’t know what to do or where to go.  Give me a clue as to what to do.  I’m floundering.”  I know I sound like a petulant child, but I really want her opinion.  Grams has always been my comfort, my rock.  She’s the best person I know.
    “What are you doing right now, sweetie?”
    Looking around, I hate answering her because I feel pathetic.  I answer anyway because I know she’s the one person who will never judge me.  “Sitting in my truck in the motel parking lot trying to figure out where I’m going.”
    A soft chuckle comes through the phone bringing a smile to my lips.  Grams’ smile is like sunshine.  She lights up a room when she smiles and I’m picturing that.  Missing her and wishing more than anything I was in Kansas with her giving her a big hug, I shake my head.  I’m bad company and I just can’t bring myself to show up on her door like this.  “How about you take a left out of that parking lot and start taking some random turns?  Look at the scenery, the houses, people watch.  You’re so used to people watching you, sweetie.  I think it’s time you see how people… real people live.  Outside of the lights and cameras.  You need to see families and friends—people, Tucker.”  I know it’s serious when Grams calls me Tucker.  She must really be worried about me.
    “Ok, Grams.  I’ll take a left out of here and a bunch of random roads from there.  I’ll take time to look at the scenery and the houses.  I’ll people watch.  I’ll even take pictures on my cell phone to show you.  How does that sound?”  I mean every word, too.  There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for her.
    “It would sound fantastic if I thought you were doing this for you and not for me, sweetie.  Do this old lady one more favor.”
    “Anything, Grams.”
    “Leave yourself open to possibilities.  You never know what you may find there.”  I didn’t know what she was talking about, but she had that wise sound to her voice again.
    “Ok.  Hey, Grams, you know what today is, don’t you?”
    “Of course I do, sweetie.  She’s still watching over you.  Always.  She would have loved you going out for this adventure.  She had such spirit to her.  I wish you had had more time to know her.”
    “Me, too.  Thanks for remembering, Grams.  Love you.  Call you again later and fill you in on my adventure.”  After hearing an I love you and bye from Grams, I hang up and drop my cell in the drink holder.  Off I go.  I still have two waters from last night.  Although I’m hungry, I’m not in the mood for fast food just yet.  I’ll drive around for a bit and then come back.  Taking a left out of the motel, I found out from GPS the main road I’m on is Route 125.  Now, I know. When I’m ready to come back, I’m all set.  Adventure time, here I