My Last Day in Vienna

It surprised to arise early this morning.  I failed to follow the "early-to-bed, early-to-rise" wisdom when I failed to lay my head to rest the night before no earlier than midnight.  So when I awoke on my own, and the hour rang out as 6:00AM, I was pleasantly surprised.

An early start meant more of a day.

Never having succeeded in tracking down that elusive coffee shop for my morning cup of java and a touch of reading to spark the mind life, I jaunted from the hotel a bit after 7:30 and began to make my along highway 45 towards Vienna.  There is one thing I can certainly say about driving the roads here, the pleasantness of engaging in an non-rushed trip is something else.  I cannot say people are not in a hurry to reach wherever their individual roads are leading them.  I'm sure they are.  There just seems to be a more cavalier approach to accomplishing the task.  This is not to label any of the people with an irresponsible "we'll get there, when we get there" attitude.  That's not it.  It is merely life without the pressure - at least, in my estimation.

I drove highway 45 so as to capture a picture of myself in front of the Vienna town sign adorning the highway.  This was an interesting experience, as the road I turned onto, so as to park and step out of my car, was a dead end.  The first - and apparently only - house on this dead end road sported half a dozen pickup trucks and a very clear sign that read, something to the effect:

     TRESPASSERS WILL BE SHOT, AND SURVIVORS WILL BE SHOT AGAIN.

For some reason, I didn't think the owner of that particular house was joking; so I took my picture and existed the scene as inconspicuously as possible

When I reach the county clerk's office at shortly past 8:30, I immediately ask the two women at the front (two I recall from my previous two visits) whether there is any way I could locate records for where my ancestors may lived.  One of the ladies answers me with language I do not understand - something about a "guarantee" and a "guarantor" - though at the time, I failed to even understand those words properly as most people I have encountered carry a Southern accent, even a thick Southern accent.

Fortunately, I managed to understand enough of what the woman told me so as to begin on my land grant search.

The experience in this clerk's office set me a bit sideways.  The women were polite.  They answered whatever questions I posed to them.  But they never went out of their way to help.  It left me in a bit of a tizzy, realizing that if I found myself presented with a problem when searching through the records, I either figured the thing out on my own, or I disregarded it.  This is so different to my experiences in Kansas, oddly enough, where 'going the extra mile' is tantamount - at least amongst natural born mid-Westerners (friends and associates might know to what I refer).

Whenever I visit a new area, I enjoy experiencing some of the natural flavor to the community.  One of the ways one can manage this is through patronizing the local businesses.  When lunch time arrived (the clerk's office - and practically everything else - closed for lunch), though hungry, I was not, I chose to search out a place to eat.

The day before, I opted for a Subway; but the thing about the national chains is one can try those meals anywhere in the country.  I wished to find a place unique to Vienna.  I spotted it along the road, and I was most impressed.

It takes a lot to impress me, as I have always been a rather particular individual in regards to food.  I have eaten in a number of establishments where the food is good, but the ambiance is poor.  Tables and chairs are crowded together.  The interior of the room is dimly lit.  There is a feel of old and unclean that creeps from the kitchen, the waitress station, the floors and the walls.  While such is tolerated, such is never welcomed.

Dolly's Restaurant, along highway 45, in Vienna had none of that.  I had nothing at all to complain about.  The food was good (I tried, for the first time, gyros).  The waitress was friendly.  The tables were clean.  The ambiance was open.  I could easily relax and enjoy my meal.  They even had WiFi.  If I ever return to Vienna again, I will definitely stop in for another enjoyable meal.