I do not buy souvenirs while on the road often, as it seems to defeat the purpose of working so hard. However, I try to collect pressed Pennies from every state when I can find them (and, yes, I made sure to get Hawaii).

My cousin suggested making photo albums yearly to document our travels on the road, and I thought it was such an excellent idea that I made our first one last year! While it counted as a scrapbook, it was also an exercise to prove that we do more than work! Boy, I have an entire album of precious home times filled with family memories and all the places that show where we have been in this truck! I decided to double the photo album as my souvenir and thought it would be perfect.

This year, however, is different because I have not taken many photos since being traumatized by a sheet of ice flying off a U-Haul trailer and into our windshield. The romanticized version of this job was squashed, but I’m determined to capture memories, dangit! However, it is probably good that I cannot capture my feelings and emotions driving through Atlanta. To fill the lack of memories, I have decided that this year’s focus is to document my favorite travel centers and stops on our routes! I also made a big photo album from our Hawaii trip, which will count for our 2025 memories. 

Anyway, with all that said about not buying random things and storing photos as souvenirs….. after all, I bought a chicken.

Not just any chicken.

A travel center in New Mexico is one of my favorite stops. This store has lots of Route 66 memorabilia and Navajo Indian handmade items. Every time I walk around the store, I stop at these hand-painted chickens perched on the same shelf in the corner.

For two years, I would go check on these chickens. They are not just $20; I couldn’t rationalize the purchase. I finally decided that, Lord willing, I would buy one when we are off the road and have completed our goals. It seems silly, but it gave me something to look forward to. My sweet mother-in-law said, “But what if they aren’t there in a few years?”. I responded that I did not know what to do, but it was just too expensive.

Anyway, I walked into the store one afternoon to check on my chickens and noticed they had been moved to another shelf. 

Cue: absolute internal panic 

I approached the employee and asked, “How often do you get these chickens?”

“We don’t.”

Oh. My. Gosh.

I mentioned seeing them for two years and planned to buy one in a few years. He responded that they had been there the entire time he had worked at the store for ten years. The tags are faded and everything.

I had to make a decision. Ryan was sleeping. Where would I put the chicken? I did not need to spend this money.

But now they’re on a new shelf. There is merchandise everywhere, and my chickens’ lives are threatened.

I bought the chicken.

The employee mentioned there was another truck driver who was in a similar situation. He’d stop in and see whatever item it was for twenty years, and eventually bought it. I get it.

Ryan woke up, and I said, “Surprise!” And he laughed. Meanwhile, I called my dad earlier and he said, “That is what you wanted? I don’t know what is worse. It was not an impulse purchase, but I thought about it. He asked where I planned to keep it, and I mentioned his kitchen counter. He is so thrilled!

My mother-in-law was proud of me because I’m one of the cheapest humans on the planet, but I bought something I’d been wanting. 

My new goal is to buy one every year and reunite the family.

The next time we passed through and I went inside, I ran to the bathroom. I circled back to the chickens, and the employee who had helped me before said, “Hey, chicken lady!”

I mentioned how I wanted another, but could not buy it yet.

He’s a great salesman and said, “Someone inquired about them earlier”.

The stress. I did not need to spend much money on chicken statues in three weeks. 

I passed this time. If it was meant to be, I’ll have the chickens in a few years.

I told my mother-in-law, and she mentioned a few things I could do. I should look online, etc.

However, I realized it had to be from this store because of the experience. Also, it is the thrill of the hunt.

“Will they be there when I come back?”

They always have been. Sitting there and waiting for me.

Next time, I may have to get the little sister.