N’Jeri Eaton

Day 4: Oklahoma City, OK–> Fayettville, AR–> Little Rock, AR

// March 23rd, 2009 // Travel Blog

Yesterday was a beautiful drive. I have to admit that I’ve sort of fallen in love with Albquerque, NM. The weather was perfect, the city was peaceful and everyone looked healthy and happy. I’ll have to go back and spend more time there.

The drive was pretty uneventful until I got to Oklahoma. I got pulled over by a police officer about an hour after I crossed over the state line. He said that I was driving on the shoulder for a while and he wanted to check on me. I told him about my project and he got really excited. He began suggesting places I should visit along the way. After a ten minute chat, he sent me on my way. The whole time I was thinking about the ghastly police shooting in Oakland. Every encounter I’ve had with a police officer has been quite pleasant-except for one black officer in PG County, which I’m convinced has the worst police department in the country. However, could I say the same thing if I was a black man instead of a black woman?

Today I will be going from the barren range land of the West to the Deep South and I couldn’t be any more excited. Although I’ve grown up in urban centers of the North, I have strong ties to the South. I’m excited to see my Selma, AL family and visit my recently relocated brother in Atlanta. And, hopefully, I even catch up with Abby Gaskins over breakfast at Waffle House.