I was in Jefferson City addressing the Chief Information Officers and staff of Missouri. Once more I got a standing ovation, their first ever given to a keynote speaker. Tomorrow I address bankers in Colorado so had to high tail it back to the airport in St. Louis after my book signing. It was a two hour drive and I allowed plenty of time so that I would not be rushed.
On coming onto the ramp on I-70 I saw someone who looked like he was hitch hiking. I stopped. He was not hiking alone, but with a friend and their dog. I offered them a lift and had one of the most interesting 80 minutes with these two men.
They were traveling from Oregon bound for Maine to find work and a different way of life. Tied of the rat race, they also run into difficulties. Somewhere along their way, their car caught alight and was lost. There was no insurance and no turning back. So they decided to hitch hike almost 3,000 miles. Their money was gone, and they were camping, fortunately having tents and were well equipped for the rugged out door living ahead.
Their story was amazing. They were hunting for work, were willing to barter odd jobs with churches for a place to sleep and a meal. These guys did not drink, were against drugs and saw themselves as anti establishment, anti government, just wanting to be free of the system. The churches were not hospitable. They had little time for them, treating them as bums. They were far from being bums. Sharp, intelligent, strong opinions of life and the world, they each had traveled all of America several times over the last two decades. They modeled themselves as the last of the hippies. They said they saw the least amount of Christianity from people who called themselves religious. The people who helped them were foreigners who had come to America knowing struggle and had made it, a few truckers who were lonely and the occasional nice American.
For two days they had been where I picked them up trying to get a ride. They had camped out in a field, was unable to get a meal as they had no money and none of the fast food companies would help. They were able to wash up in a sink and take care of their basic hygiene. I did not notice any tattoos, and they were dressed presentably for being in public.
They told me stories about how they were run out of towns for just showing up. In Illinois they planned not to stop, but to find a lift that would get them all the way across the State as in Illinois they would run into the police who were intolerant and they risked lengthy stints in jail for not fitting the system.
They spoke about how people were afraid of them. But not just them, but afraid strangers, afraid of life. They saw the ugly side of America and were not complimentary of their country of birth. They saw the country as a police state, a country of selfishness and greed. They had lost faith in government and the laws and freedoms. America was not the country they had grown up in.
Not having an address, they were not able to get food stamps. Everyday not working was a struggle. I gave them a lift to a truck stop and they were most appreciative. When we parted company, I shared some of the revenues of my book sales with them. I do not know how much money I gave them, less than $100, but they were most appreciative. I had a chance to pay it back and forward.
After I dropped them I still had over an hour to go. I saw an unmarked cop car parked, paying no attention to it as I was in no hurry. After a while I had to swing out from behind a truck, using my indicator as I always do. There was plenty of room to move into the left lane, with a car hogging the lane going at the same speed. It was the cop. About 5 minutes later he pulled me over accusing me of improper lane changing. He ran my drivers license and told me to watch how I change lanes and with no other recourse, off I went. 40 minutes later I needed to make a call so I slowed down to 50-55 miles per hour. Shortly after that I was pulled over again by another unmarked car for driving suspiciously. Doing the speed limit or less in MO is suspicious. Is this profiling? Is this what those men are talking about what America has become?