Sarah & The Bee
She was waiting for me. It was dark. Real dark.
I don’t drive at night. Not my speed. However, I was up in the sticks and had a couple hours to kill. It was only 7:30 pm but pitch black. She was standing in her driveway. Waiting.
She approached my car with a case of Bud Light under one arm wearing a worn-out baseball hat, jeans, and a flannel shirt. She looked to be in her late 20’s, a bit stocky, and giddy.
“Let’s party!” I announced as she got in the back seat. I say that to every rider that gets in my car regardless of the time of day. It automatically puts them in a good mood. Then they don’t kill me.
She laughed.
“Where am I?” I asked. I was up in North Georgia and drove 11 miles to pick her up.
“Ducktown. I might have pre-gamed a bit too hard today,” she giggled.
Ducktown. Never in my life have I heard of such a place.
I started driving for Lyft a couple of months ago as a consulting project. I am now addicted and think I might write a book about the people I meet. Like the one guy with dreadlocks who tipped me a pound of psychedelic mushrooms at 7:30 in the morning.
“Do you mind if I open a beer?” She cautiously asked.
“Go for it,” I answered. Little did she know I started a party bus company 20 years ago.
“Oh, thank God,” she smiled.
Her name was Sarah. She told me she used to live in the city and worked in bars and restaurants. Eventually, she decided to quit and follow her dream.
“I moved up here and bought a farm. Now I breed mules and board horses.”
“Mules?”
“I love mules. They are my favorite animals.”
“Why?” I asked keeping my eyes on the road because we were somewhere in the middle of nowhere.
“Well, kinda because of the bible, you know Mary road in on a mule and whatnot, but more so because they are extremely smart. A thousand times smarter than horses.”
I peppered her with questions about mules. Her favorite mule, Snickers, can count. If she asks it what day of the month it is, it will count out the days with it’s hoof. That is insane.
I asked her if horses bite. She said yes. One picked her up by the hair and threw her over a fence one time.
“Since you run a farm, what time do you wake up in the morning?” I asked.
“4 am.”
“What time do you get home?”
“7:30 pm.”
Damn.
“I love it. I am outside in nature, and I work hard so I am tired when I go to sleep. All my friends have anxiety and depression, but I am too tired to be anxious or depressed. Those losers need to work harder!”
She was chatty and half drunk. We drove and drove.
“Have you ever watched a bee pollinate a flower?” She asked randomly.
“No?” I thought.
“It is amazing. A dance. Mesmerizing. People need to slow down and watch bees sometimes. Today I watched a squirrel play in the leaves for 10 minutes. It was so cool.”
Imagine that…taking time to pause and be in awe of what is around us. Sounds, well, peaceful.
I was blow away. She stole my heart. What an amazing girl. A young farmer who taught me three amazing lessons in a 20-minute Lyft ride.
1. Follow your dreams.
Don’t get stuck in a city if you are a country girl. Do not wait tables if your soul needs to be outside. Don’t work at home if you need the energy of others around you. Burn the boats, take a risk, and do what your heart wants you to do.
2. Work hard. Get tired.
Depression and anxiety are for those who have time and energy for it. Fill your calendar, work hard, wear out your mind.
3. Slow down, look around.
Watch the bees. Watch them dance.
One day I am going to buy a banana farm. I will raise racoons and grow fruit. I will also have show chickens, the fancy ones. No pigs though, not for me. Maybe a mule or two. The garden will have okra, tomatoes, and broccoli. Does broccoli grow in the ground?
Thank you Sarah! You were such a beautiful inspiration. I hope you finished that entire 12 pack of bud light and stay away from biting horses.
Trey
Sign up to receive my stories each week HERE.
