Alabama Rest Stop Lingo!

I pull into the rest stop close to midnite and find two white people - one very tall, male and tattooed, the other female, very short, and bundled in sheepskin - standing outside my door, hands in pockets, smiling broadly at me.

They are from Maine, have been to Occupy Bangor, and report to me they are traveling the green occupy scene, which I think means the stuff some folks smoke!

They are heading around to the great places they know to "hang cardboard" which I find out is not putting up a "NO WAR" sign, but a "Hungry, will you help?" sign.

We retire to our vehicles - they have a station wagon - for the night.

Early this morning, I am up with the bright, clear, warm sun happy to have pg&e so I can charge my phone, after all the tire calls yesterday!

I greet the two male guards inside the "security provided" rest stop bathrooms: one is white, short and stocky; the other is black, tall and narrow. When I ask what they think of the Occupy movement, the white guard tells me they are so busy they don't have time to keep up with what's going on outside of here: they have a lot of work to do right here.

I'm thinking they mow the huge grassy areas, trim the trees, make the flowers grow but he says no, it is their job to keep out "panhandlers" and "texas tailgaters".

Now I'm thinking no one begging money and having bar-b-ques? No, he indicates all the trucks parked outside the window, and turns beet red as he attempts to mimic someone jumping from truck to truck.

I still don't get it until his partner spells it out: prostitutes.

Oh, here they are, making minimum wages maybe, to make sure no one else makes any money here...