Motel Room in Winnemucca

[mnaz]

Not much civilization in Nevada, signs of life rare.
Only the odd rail, or mine gouging a mountainside,
or truckstop for roamers from nothing to nowhere.
A few towns had succumbed to a Big Box takeover,
but were still hard-edged; you might find a brothel
run by a madam who used to be a prison guard.
Long haul truckers just passing through.
Jet-powered warriors too.

It was clear, bright desert space, but the road,
a grinding roadhouse grunge, transient temporality,
diesel fumes and cigarette smoke baked into walls
painted over so many times you start to lose track,
never able to befriend anything passing through
with enough fuel and cigarettes.

[the mingo]

The two stiffs selling gas or the Whiting Bros gas stations still operating out there?

[mnaz]

Nah, those places were abandoned or sold. Only one building still going, somewhere in New Mexico (though I think they restored the old Whiting sign). They were on Route 66. I'm not sure if 66 went thru Nevada; if it did, it was at the very bottom, near Needles somewhere..

One time I got a "NO SMOKING" room on the main drag. Right. Two hours of a rare desert squall blasting pure air thru two open windows couldn't dislodge the outlaw cigarette regime..

[the mingo]

Thx, mnaz

[mtmynd]

Nice recall of those days when you had nothing but time measured by sunrise and sunset...

May they return and will return when those planets line up in your favor.

Good read, em-naz!