Hitch-hiking around the USA. Valery Shanin
I would call Grigory and ask him to take me back to New York – and then I would leave for Russia (I had no intention to fly to Florida or go there by bus).
In the outskirts of New York, not far from the huge city dump, I got out and hitchhiking – or rather, thumbing up – began.
In Russia, we just keep the palm of the hand open, and I felt awkward to hold the fist with my thumb up, as the American hitchhikers do. So, I decided to use a sign plate. I found a piece of white cardboard by the road and wrote ‘FLORIDA’ on it, and stood on the roadside.
One would think that thumbing up is easy: raise your hand and get a ride. But one can’t do without specific skills. It’s necessary to consider the speed of the car and the distance to it and raise your hand at the most adequate moment. In addition, it is desirable to make an eye contact with the driver selecting him among the others, showing that it’s him you want to stop. And what’s more important, you must show the driver that you are self–confident. All your looks must reflect it. Confidence is the key to success in hitchhiking.
Among hitchhikers is possible to meet those who adhere to the passive tactics of thumbing up – still like a pillar on the road, stretching out his hand and not reacting ignoring the passing cars – as well as those who prefer the active tactics – waving his arms and gesturing his urge to leave, sometimes even shouting after drivers, that is, meets each car appearing on the way as if it were the only car and it depended only on the driver whether the hitchhiker would reach his goal.
It is hard to tell what tactics is more efficient. Apparently, the choice is made solely on the basis of personal characteristics of the hitchhiker: the shier ones prefer the passive tactics, and those more insolent or more exalted choose the active tactics. Drivers also have their preferences: one gives a ride only to those who stand modestly on the road, while the others do not notice them and respond only to a more active hitchhiker.
I believed I was a rather experienced hitchhiker, but as it turned out, I had started my hitchhike odyssey with a gross violation of the law: thumbing up on the Interstate Highway * roadside was forbidden. If you come across a police patrol, you can’t avoid penalty. Fortunately, I did not have to thumb up for long.
There was the first car. A twenty–year–old Chevrolet with large spots stains – in the free America, unlike in the conservative Europe there are no rules governing the car’s appearance. Are the steering wheel, the motor and the wheels all right? The rest is not important. Sometimes, you could see most unbelievable clunkers!
The driver of the Chevrolet – had the air of an intellectual, but wore a working overall – opened the door:
– Are you really going to Florida? Well, get in, at least I’ll take you to the right road.
When I got in he immediately offered me his hand:
– Michael.
When he heard I was Russian, and the driver got so excited as if he had been waiting for this meeting for his entire life (and that was the response from the majority of Americans):
– Where exactly do you live in Russia? In Moscow? I’m from New York – he was clearly eager to tell me about himself. – I am an architect. Before, I lived in Canada. I graduated from the University there, then studied here, at Harvard. I got a Master’s degree and went back home. I went into landscape architecture. I became the chief adviser to the Government. I would have been a millionaire by now, like my brother, but I did not belong there. Moreover, I started to have problems with my wife. Got divorced and decided to go to America. Now I live here in New York, work as a carpenter. I don’t own so much money as before, of course, but I am happy with my life, I belong here. Honestly, the work of an architect was very exhausting. I realized that I needed physical labor rather than intellectual…
You know, I do not advise you to go along the coast. There are mostly the major cities – Philadelphia, Washington … You’d better take the 81st Interstate highway. It goes to the south almost parallel to this one, the 95th. As soon as you’ve got to Atlanta, and Florida is at a stone’s throw – to convince me thoroughly, he added. – By the way, I’m going to the 81st highway …
This is how it is in hitchhiking: the driver normally chooses the way, not the hitchhiker.
The 81st interstate highway passes by the cities with predominantly German names. Between Chambersburg and Harrisonburg, Michael turns out of the highway. We said good–bye and I stepped out on the road again.
A Ford stopped, it was an old one too. Two guys in jeans jackets were at the front seats.
— You’re lucky. We’ll give you a ride up to Atlanta…
Bipin and Geoff were going to drive all night long without a stop, making turns at the steering wheel. We started making the basic questions: where we were going, where we were from, what we were up to. It turned out the guys were from New York. They had some company business to handle in Atlanta. Judging from the car, they did not earn much – they had to make a few maintenance stops on their way.
When a big chunk fell of the car we parked at a parking lot in the middle of the night. It was dark, cold and windy… The south did not seem any warmer at all. It took Bipin and Geoff long to fix the car. At first I hoped we would part soon, but I got bored. I curled comfortably on the back seat and fell asleep… When I opened my eyes it was morning and we were entering Atlanta.
I had a good rest that night and felt like resuming my journey to the south.
— Don’t you want to see Atlanta? — asked Goeff looking surprised and offered: — You can stay in our place. We’ll show you the city.
The offer was unexpected but tempting – I just couldn’t say ‘no’.
The American Georgia
We came to Atlanta, crossed the intricate web of streets and reached the residence block ‘Peach Orchard’ (two dozens of two–storey multiapartment houses, an open swimming pool, a self–service laundry; on one side – a rather dirty small river, on the other – a railway branch). Here Bipin and Geoff rented one apartment for both. They planned to stay for about three months in Atlanta and apartment fees were much lower than those of a hotel. I had my rest that night, instead the friends had to drive in turns and had no time for a sleep: business will be business. Bipin apologised for the business trip they had to make and suggested that I had a walk on my own until they came back in a couple of hours and gave me a sightseeing ride in their car.
Atlanta is the capital of the State of Georgia. It’s one of the largest cities of the U.S. – you can’t see all of it in one week. Fortunately, the Peach Orchard block is situated right in the center.
I saw a supermarket for the first time in Atlanta. At the entrance, the customers received special booklets with coupons. On each coupon there was the sort of product they were selling with a discount that day. Paying with those coupons one could save some money. Or, for instance, if you paid for three lumps of soap you got another one for free. I was astonished to see some 100% free products – those debuting on the market. They were handed out to anyone for advertising purposes. That time it was some sort of biscuits and I ate a whole package with great pleasure. It looked like you might not starve in America.
Having roamed a little by the downtown skyscrapers I came back. Bipin and Geoff had already taken care of their business and were waiting for me.
— When I was a student we used to travel Dutch. For example, if someone was planning a long drive by car he posted an announcement offering everyone to go with him if they paid their share of gasoline cost, – said Geoff and offered: – Let’s go and ask at the local Universities. Some students might be going to Florida.
I was not intent on going into paid hitchhiking but I didn’t refuse from seeing the Universities: I was curious to see what made them different from ours.
At first we visited the Technology Institute of the State of Georgia, which was located nearby the skyscraper housing the Coca Cola headquarters. We entered the main administrative