Day 8

So I heard a voice say "hey". I opened my eyes from sleeping behind Starbucks and a cop stood over me. His headlights were bright and pointed right at me also. I woke up so tired I actually thought it was a dream. He asked where I was going. I started to tell him and was so tired my words were mumbled. I stopped and said sorry, I'm so tired. I felt the cold and knew it was no dream. He said it's ok. I continued to tell him what I was doing. After letting him know of my journey and the purpose he asked for my ID. I handed it to him. He called it in to the station. His outfit said Vacaville pd. As he waited he asked why I was going to Seattle. I told him I didnt have a good answer and that it just kinda came to me. He said that's ok, sometimes things just come to us for no apparent reason. He was really calm and friendly. He seemed to be ok with my journey. He gave me my ID back. He asked me for some information and wrote it on a card. He asked more questions about my travels and seemed to enjoy hearing about it. He told me that's a great thing I'm doing. Then he said he was sorry to have to tell me this but Vacaville has a no camping policy and I would have to find somewhere to go or continue out of town. I said I completely understand and thanks for being so friendly. He said good luck as I picked up my things and walked away. I said thanks. 
   I walked to walmart and thought I could kill some time there. It was 2:30 and Starbucks opens at 4:30 so I had two hours to kill. I was so exhausted I felt like a zombie. Walmart was closed. I was shocked and that's the only walmart I've seen that wasn't open 24 hours. I had nowhere I could think of to go. I was so tired and didn't want to start walking to the next town. I walked through the last street before the town ended. Only thing I thought of was dennys but didn't see any. I was walking and saw a resturant that had an open sign on. I was shocked and thought maybe they just left it on. But I went up to it and it was open. Mels dinner. I came in and told the hostess/waitress they saved my night! Thank god they were open. I went in and figured I would just order the cheapest thing there and hangout until Starbucks opened. I stayed there and talked to the waitress for 2 hours while I sat in a booth. I never ended up ordering and the waitress didn't care saying she liked company because she was bored. The waitress name was Sera. She was so nice and sweet. She was getting ready for med school in Florida and saving money working as a waitress. We talked about all kinds of stuff and it was nice. I shared my headphone story to her and she had a similar story. When she was real little she was saving money dollar at a time so she could buy a cute radio toy she wanted. She raised 10 dollars and traded ones for bigger bills till she had a 10 dollar bill. She was so proud of her savings and she carried it everywhere. Well she went to church with a friend one day, and the offering tray came around. She never seen it but noticed everyone was putting money in. It came to her and thought she needed to contribute but only had her 10 dollar bill that she worked so hard to save for the radio. She grabbed her money and very hesitantly placed it in and was very sad. She was crushed the rest of the service. After the service her and her friend went to the playground and guess what she found? 50 bucks! It was a great story.
   Me and her talked a while and thought much alike. We also talked about things that didn't make sense in life and how it's hard to accept stuff when it doesn't fit. Things like great young people dying. I agree that is unfitting and hard to deal with.
   I left at 5am and went to Starbucks. I went to charge my phone but my charger was nowhere in my bag. My front zipper was open a little and it must have fallen out. I was bummed. I wrote my journal and then tried to go to sleep there for a little nap. I couldn't sleep. I was frustrated because I needed to get to Dixon and wanted to rest before I took off walking. I tried again but it wasn't happening. So I just left Starbucks and would start walking. I stopped at walmart and bought a charger for 14 bucks. Kinda upset I had to spend the money but everyone has been so helpful and supportive on the road I knew they wanted to keep reading my journal. Outside of walmart I brushed my teeth and took my undershirts off. I just wore the sleeveless jersey an put sunscreen on my white arms. I took off from there through the country towards Dixon. 
  I passed a golf course and really missed playing. Before I left to do this I played 4-5 days a week after work and on weekends. It was addicting and relaxing.
   There was one gas station left before nothing but farmland started. I stopped there and asked how much it would be to fill up my water bottles in the dispenser. They actually didn't even have the water option, it was only soda. So I said it's ok and thank you anyways. I smiled and walked out and on down the road.
   I got a half mile into the country where a guy pulled up next to me. He said he was in the gas station and he heard me ask for water. He handed me a gallon of cold water and I was so thankful. He was dressed in military uniform and said good luck on my travels. I didn't get to tell him what I was doing or anything but he was a nice man.
   I continued towards Dixon. It was all row crops, orchards and farm animals. I had a while to go and it was hot so I paced myself. Along the way I ran into a cow crossing the road. It had obviously escaped from somewhere. It walked into a driveway after crossing in front of me but it didn't look like that's where he came out of as there were no pastures or barn at that house. A ways up I came to a cow pasture and saw where it escaped through the fence. I didn't see a house around to let anyone know. I walked for 10 miles in the heat and had 2 miles to go. The gallon of water was almost gone and what was left was really hot. Without the water it would have been rough as I only carry 3 bottles. Thanks to that man I was hydrated. The last two miles were painful. My back, knees, feet, neck, and thighs hurt. My inner thighs were rubbing on my boxers and were wearing my skin off. That was a little painful but not unbearable. I finally found a Starbucks. 12 miles of walking off one hour of sleep and no food. It was for sure a mission especially carrying everything. I got to Starbucks and went into the bathroom. I probably brought the worse case of mudd butt Dixon has ever seen, and it was high in the running county wide. I noticed in the bathroom my thighs were bleeding and running down my legs. My boxers and pants had some blood on them. They hurt and were really sensitive. I put some cortisone cream on them. I used my email at Starbucks and got a large iced water which was awesome! It felt good to relax. I left Starbucks at 10. I walked a mile to a park nearby. I was walking with my legs spread apart so my thighs didn't rub on my boxers between my legs. If your a guy u know what I mean. A man came up and gave me some money. I told him why I was walking like that so he knew I wasn't injured or something. He asked for my story. I told him. He then shared his and I found he was sleeping in his van. How nice is that of a homeless guy to give me money, what a great heart. So cool! Thank you Zeek. I got to the park and it was really nice and a good place to sleep. I laid down in the middle on some grass in my bag and closed my eyes. It felt so good. I went to sleep right away at about 11. I woke up in the middle of the night because I got blasted by some sprinklers. I woke up, grabbed all my stuff in my hands, and drug it out of the range of the sprinklers. I was running dragging it all with my legs spread and I was moving slow through my soreness. But I doubt anyone saw how dumb it might have looked. I fell right back down on my bag and right back to sleep. Not sure what time it was at in the night. I went back to bed and again and it felt so good.