Naughton’s Nonsense

A couple of weeks after I graduated my parents gave me a month long trip out to Colorado. While I was there I stayed primarily with my godmother, along with a foster sister and old friends from the church I attended as a child. While I was there I learned that my godmother had left the Episcopal Church for the Evangelical Orthodox Church. I had never heard of this denomination let alone Orthodoxy. It was all very strange to me especially since my family had left the Episcopal Church for a Baptist church. I had many question but was not prepared to hear the answers. It was all very confusing. However, I did enjoy the trip very much. It has left a lasting impression on me especially since I have not been back since. I remember the beauty of the landscape, the unique smells, and the wonderful sounds that can only be found in my birth state, Colorado. I also remember that was the first time I had been on a plane since I was a toddler of 2 or 3. It was very strange because I got on the little DC-9 in Cleveland. The ceiling was leaking some water and the plane was very hot. I got a window seat but it was not very comfortable because I had a very large man sitting next to me. He asked the flight attendant if the leaking was normal. The attendant said it was the air conditioning system, and it would seal up once we reached proper altitude. This was not comforting. We took off and sure enough the plane cooled down and the leaking stopped. We were heading toward St. Louis, which at the time was covered by severe flooding. It was very disconcerting yet fascinating, the only thing above water was the airport with only a few usable runways. We were put in a holding pattern circling the airport for about an hour. I could see rooftops peaking above the water, row boats going from roof to roof, and debris floating around everywhere. During the hour or so of holding I became very nauseous. It got old quickly. Once we touched down I had to run to catch my flight to Denver. The flight from St. Louis to Denver was much smoother since I was on a 727. Once in Denver I met my godmother at the airport and she took me out to eat to a real Mexican restaurant (at the time there was no such thing in the northeastern states). The meal was great and she told them it was my birthday, so I got a song and free cake, I was so embarrassed. From there we drove to Fort Collins, her home, my birthplace. The next month was great. I got to see many places I had not seen in years and experience them as a semi-adult rather than as a child. I went to see the house I spent the first ten years of my life in. I spent many hours with a woman who was a foster child my parents had for several years. It was like we were brother and older sister. I would play pranks and she would insult me, what great times. I got to spend a weekend in a private cabin on the Poudre River, out in the middle of nowhere, it was beautiful beyond compare. I still feel the call of Colorado, however, time and finances keep me grounded in Kentucky. I also just remembered going to a Greek festival at the cathedral in Denver. Icons everywhere, Greek dance, Greek Food, and this church that made no sense to me whatsoever. I was constantly surrounded by ethnic people (my godmother is Lebanese). I had never experienced anything like it. Nostalgia is a great feeling, I just wish it could completely transport me. There was a weekend when we drove to Wyoming to see a turn of the century private owned prison. That was pretty cool, and a subject for another entry. I wish I could put all the feelings, thoughts, and images that are going through my head. But, the stream of consciousness seems to be degrading. I know it is very erratic and jumpy, but I am just writing as I remember. I will try to post the next installment soon.