Mobile Get-aways

I find it funny that everyone tends to make faces or comments when I mention how much I go to Mobile. "You need to get Fred over here! Why can't he come see you?" Although sometimes I feel the same way and then cringe at the amount of gas that goes in my car per month, it's honestly not Fred not coming to see me. It's my own decisions and the desire for the entire Mobile experience.

Fred is, of course, one of my main motivations for going east so very often. We went from being near each other every day for 2+ years, to seeing each other every 4-6 weeks for more than 6 months, to trying to see each other every 2 weeks since he's back in Mobile. I can't help myself when opportunities arise that we can see each other potentially every 10 days or less. That's amazing. I feared that would never be the case again.

But what some do not understand is Mobile is a lot more than Fred. It is Ashley. It is Sam. It is Miranda and Josh. It is the Knollwood Apartments where Brian and Nissi lived, where Fred lives, and where Ashley now lives. It is Cottage Hill Park JUST across the street where Fred and I used to run while our senior year of college, where we run now. The park is full of people all day, walking their dogs, playing softball and soccer and football and pee-wee-ish practice and games. It's full of trails, concrete and earthy. It is lit up at night, shady trails during the day/afternoon, and there are bikers and skaters and walkers and runners. I love that place.

Mobile is the roads that I know and love. I can swing by campus. I can shop at Walmart with Fred. I can cruise through Target, my Target. I can stop by my favorite Starbucks, the one where I used to tutor. I can stop by CHILI to see Fred, where I used to work/intern. I am close to the beach. I can straighten my hair and watch it POOF in a matter of seconds outside.

And now Mobile is lunch with Ashley on Mondays... in her bright, colorful dress. Haha! It is tennis with Sam at 3 in the afternoon on a scorching day. It is tennis and running and watching LOST and going by B&B Pet Stop as well as Petsmart shopping for fish and Tropical Smoothie with Frederick. It has yet to be seeing Miranda's house, but that day is coming soon. It is bumping into college friends. It is driving by ABBC to see who's there and worshiping at Dauphin Way. And it has potential to be so much more. Man, it's a 2-3 day vacation that's only 1.5 hours away!