Traveling Back Home

"Hey, turn here! Sorry!" That's me in a sudden moment of inspiration after leaving Taco Bell with Husband. Usually my 'sudden moments' after leaving Taco Bell feature things other than inspiration.

"Turn right in this alley." Husband is accustomed to doing whatever crazy-ass thing I ask. I think it's because he's knows he'll have fodder for making fun of me at a later time.

My mom used to have conversations in her head. And then some of it would come out aloud.

 "Well, I told him about it the other day, and he just doesn't remember, that's all." What?

"Uh, Mom? What are you talking about?"

"You're father. We were talking about your father."

"Um. No. We were watching Seinfeld."

"Oh."

And then she'd explain the thought process. It was all perfectly normal for her. My version of that is a little different. I'll see or hear something that will trigger a thought. Which will lead to another (possibly completely unrelated) thought. Which will lead to another, etc. What comes out audibly is the final thought in the process.

For example:

As we left Taco Bell, I was thinking of the little, apparently deserted, bike shop across the street. When I was a kid, it was a drug store called, unfortunately, the D & C. I'm sure that stood for something other than dilation and curettage, but I don't know what. We used to buy candy there. Especially when I spent the night at Amy's house. Heh. Amy used to have a crush on the teenage kid who worked at Silvio's Pizza, next to the D & C. Silvio's had the best pizza rolls, plus pictures of naked people glued to the walls. Wait a minute, I just read about Silvio's on that letterboxing site..."Hey, turn here! Sorry!" And now we are back to where we started.

Back on August fifth, Blackbird17 wrote a post about Letterboxing Adventure on Say La Vee. Letterboxing is like geocaching without the GPS. Someone hides a watertight container with a notebook and pen, or stamp and inkpad inside, then leaves clues on how to find it. Visitors to the site leave a message for posterity, then return it to be found by the next one to come along.

I think it's more fun to follow a set of treasure map instructions than an electronic device, anyway, so I went to the Letterboxing North America site and found this one located in my hometown. I recognized all the clues right away, and figured the next time I was out, I'd have to check it out. It happens to be behind the same Silvio's Pizza we were driving past.

Husband was only privy to the shout, and so had no clue what the hell I was after. Even he was speechless when we pulled up. The deteriorating telephone poles in town were recently replaced, so the letterbox was gone. Instead, we found this...

Silvio's American Forum. And behind it, is a half acre of this...

Here's a link to Silvio's own pictures. Absolutely amazing. This is two miles from my house, and I never knew it existed. Silvia makes all these things himself. The one you see above is the Leaning Tower of Detroit. It's like having Willy Wonka live in your neighborhood. And all because Silvio's art reminds him of home.

I'm glad we found it on our way home.

Comments

[erin]

Really cool find! Geocaching was fun for us last summer, before gas got so 'spensive. But finding hidden gems in your own neighborhood is what it's all about... great post!

[Middle-Aged-Woman]

erin - Thanks, you early bird, you!

[Csquaredplus3]

Fun story. Willy Wonka in my neighborhood would be a dream come true. Lucky you!

[Middle-Aged-Woman]

CSquaredplus3 - Italian food...chocolate...
either way I get fat!

[Jenny, Bloggess]

That is AWESOME!

[Middle-Aged-Woman]

Jenny, Bloggess - Isn't it? This guy is in love with his world. I think I am going to try to go in person if I have time later this week.

[Punk Rock Dad]

I am gonna HAVE to check this out when I get home. Redford is a small hop skip and traffic jam down Telegraph for me. You also need to check out http://www.forgottendetroit.com/
For some cool stuff around town.

[Middle-Aged-Woman]

PRD - Small hop and skip, big traffic jam. 'Graph gets uglee.

[MamaDawg]

My thought process works pretty much like yours AND your mothers. Which makes for a very confusing mind. But, I digress.

What I really want to say is that I love how even though you were going to that specific spot for a specific reason, you stumbled across something even greater. I love it when that happens. It doesn't happen often, but when it does, it makes my day (or week, or month, or year).

Awesome!

[Punk Rock Dad]

Ohhh I know all about the Graph and its ugliness...was even more awesomer when they had all the interchanges all F&%$#D up.

[Jessica]

oh I do the same thing and it drives my family crazy! The have no idead what I am talking about half the time.

Ok, well more than half.

[TennLady]

I am SO GLAD to hear that my thought processes are normal for our family. Whew! I do that to the poor DH in the car a lot - pop out with weird comments - and I am sure he has often thought about having my head examined or having me committed!

[Middle-Aged-Woman]

PRD - amazing that this still happens in a place that was BUILT for millions of cars.

Jessica - I'm a less-than-hlafer muyself.

TennLady - I'm not so sure I'd go so far as to say NORMAL, but normal for us, I guess.

[Captain Dumbass]

I love the... thing on top of the tower. You're driving instructions reminds me of a young engaged couple driving... trying to drive through Winnipeg on their way to the University of Ottawa. And 16 years later they still argue over who got who lost.

The driver was only following instructions though so obvioulsy it wasn't HIS fault.

[Middle-Aged-Woman]

Cap'n. Dumbass - I like writing Cap'n. instead of Captain because it reminds me of Cap'n. Crunch Cereal. That sculpture is called The Leaning Tower of Detroit. And whomever has control of the car? Is the one that got lost. Supreme Leader paid me.

[jdg]

I cannot wait to go see this myself. thank you so much for alerting me to it. is Redford part of Detroit (as in Old Redford---where the theater is?) or is it someplace else? either way, I can't wait to see this.

If you enjoyed this, I highly recommend the art installation at Dabl's bead store at between 96 and Grand River just north of 94 and Hamtramck disneyland (and of course, the ever-evolving heidelberg project).

Just another reason to love Detroit!

[Middle-Aged-Woman]

jdg - thanks for the recommendations. I've sent you an e-mail with more explicit directions. After seeing your Flickr photo link from Sweet-Juniper, I knew this place was made for your eye.

[blackbird]

What luck! You found real treasure.

I used to live down the street from the S&M drugstore.

[Middle-Aged-Woman]

blackbird - I need some shampoo, a package of q-tips, and some new leather thongs for my whip.

[Rachel]

Ooh, I want to try the letterboxing...sounds like fun!
And I need those for my yard.

[jenboglass]

What a fun find! My husband's mind works just like yours, except for without reason. Awesome pics.

[Middle-Aged-Woman]

Rachel - I haven't tried other letterboxing sites yet. How could they compare to that find? I hope you got a BIG yard!

Jenboglass - very little reason involved here, either.

[Jeanette]

I stumbled upon your blog through Dad Gone Mad and I am so glad I did. I was attracted because you are from Michigan, and I was really suprised and excited to see this post about Silvio's. We lived right across Plymouth from him for 21 years, and used to love to go look at his new creations. Not to mention the very best pizza bread in the world! Thanks, you made my day!

[Middle-Aged-Woman]

Jeanette - welcome! I've had many a Silvio's pizza bread in my day!