The Simple Scents of Life

April 20^th, 2006, 3:30 PM

“Coffee – 90 miles away.” That was what my dad said this morning as we pulled out of the parking lot. A while later, as we headed down the freeway, I looked out of the windows and suddenly the mile markers and exits stuck out to me. I wasn’t sure why, but the markers were looking way to familiar. Marker 237…238…

“Dad?” I asked. “Are we near Harrisonburg?”

“Yeah, it’s coming right up.”

The light bulb turned on. Mile marker 240 was the exit we take to get to the Shenk’s home, and five miles down the road was the exit we would have taken to get to the Chancey’s old home, and the McClay’s wonderful treasure house. I know, I am really strange to have remembered something like this, but numbers and such just stick with me. It scares some people, sometimes it scares me. We pulled off at ext 246 and up the hill, first right and just around the corner was the shopping strip that I had used a few times a week when I spent the month of August in Harrisonburg.

It was really strange to be there, to go into the same store I had been into with my friends who lived in the area, and now be back zooming through with my family. I was just about ready to run into somebody I knew. As we passed marker 240, I looked behind and saw the warm familiar sight of the Shenk’s home where I had passed many an evening each Lord’s day. As we passed by 246 I could see the Chancey’s old home where many of my delightfully fond memories lie. It would have been nice to drop in and see some dear faces, but the road was calling, and on we go. Further up, and further in!