Field Notes: Arizona 1

Monday, May 8, 2006

I am driving on Interstate 17, north of Phoenix, headed toward Flagstaff and, ultimately, the Grand Canyon. The trip from Tucson, already nearly three hours old, has gotten considerably more mountainous — my least favorite moments being the ones that include the signs warning of considerably slower vehicles on the right.

I get out of the traffic eventually, however, and am sailing along through the mountains, pushing 80 in my rental Toyota Corolla. As I round a curve near the top, at approximately 10:49 a.m., I glance up and notice some rocks and trees off to my left. And it’s not that the sight is particularly breathtaking or anything, but suddenly, I think of Grandma Evelyn. I wonder, in that instant, if she ever traveled to Arizona. Did she ever go to the Grand Canyon? What did she think of it?

Almost as soon as the thoughts enter my head, one of my favorite Neil Diamond songs starts playing on the radio. Tears immediately fill my eyes, but I’m smiling as I drive.

Shilo

Young child with dreams
Dream every dream on your own
When children play
Seems like you end up alone
Papa says he’d love to be with you
If he had the time
So you turn to the only friend you can find
There in your mind

Shilo, when I was young
I used to call your name
When no one else would come
Shilo, you always came
And we’d play

Counting the years
Keeping my dreams to myself
’Til a young girl with fire
Made me trust somebody else
Held my hand out, I let her take me
Blind as a child
All I saw was the way that she made me smile
She made me smile

Shilo, when I was young
I used to call your name
When no one else would come
Shilo, you always came
But you’d stay

Had a dream, and it filled me with wonder
She had other plans
Got to go, said she’d know that I understand
I understand

Shilo, when I was young
I used to call your name
When no one else would come
Shilo, you always came
Come today

Had a dream, and it filled me with wonder
She had other plans
Got to go, said she’d know that I understand
I understand

Shilo, when I was young
I used to call your name
When no one else would come
Shilo, you always came
Come today

— Neil Diamond

I have no idea if any of my grandparents visited Arizona, and now they’re all gone and I can’t ask them. Grandpa Bob probably did; I mean, he grew up in Canada and lived part of his adult life in Florida, so, yeah, he got around a little bit.

What about the others, though?

(I wonder if they can experience anything through me, still.)