I SPENT A WEEK ONE NIGHT IN BAKERSFIELD

Sunday, July 02, 2006

Bakersfield, California is probably a wonderful place. I’m sure the people who live there love it. For many, many years I have driven by Bakersfield on the way to some other place. I never gave it much thought. Recently, I spent a week there one night.

It’s hard to believe that I would describe anyplace as “hot” after living in Phoenix. People make jokes about people from Arizona saying, “It’s a dry heat.” But I don’t care what anybody says, “It is a dry heat!” and it makes a difference. When we got out of the car in Bakersfield, I said, “This place is hotter than hell.” Now, of course, I don’t really know but I decided then and there to start cleaning up my act.

Most of the time all you need is a room number and you can find your motel room. That’s not true at Best Western Hill House. They gave us a map and oral instructions and we still couldn’t find it and it wasn’t just us. Other people were wandering around looking and we helped each other. We had to leave the first property, go back out into the traffic and drive down the street and come in another drive. It was like staying in barracks at an army camp or dorms on a college campus. We thought “Ok, just let us out of this heat and into a cool room for the night and it will be alright.” Nope! Not so at Best Western Hill House. They knew we were coming but the AC was not on. However, the room did cool off before morning and time to leave.

Breakfast was crowded into the dark corner of a room. The rolls had just been taken out of the freezer and were cold. There was only one half of a raisin bagel and Charlotte grabbed it. All the other bagels were plain. I hate plain! An oversized woman was crowded into the corner trying to make coffee. She mentioned she was in the way and I wanted to agree with her, but didn’t. The coffee was good—it was hot.

I will try not to slow down if I ever go through Bakersfield again. I will probably get a speeding ticket!

Lest, you think I am just an old, tired preacher who preaches hell fire and brimstone even without a pulpit—check back tomorrow. The Residence Inn in Stockton was wonderful!

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