Orvokki updated her status in Facebook today with the name of that old Dusty Springfield song. And it made me smile. Why?
Firstly, I’ve been so busy with pushing together my work-related and private projects that I haven’t had time to just sit down and catch the tickling feeling of an upcoming trip. But today, after a 10-hour work day, it stroke me: yes, within 48 hours we’ll be – well, not in Tulsa – but at the GLO hotel in Helsinki airport.
Secondly, take a look at this picture:
It was taken in August 2009 at our summer cottage in Southern Finland. Orvokki had Dusty’s cd and we four listened to it. After some glasses (bottles :)) of wine, we were totally captured by the lyrics of ”24 hours from Tulsa”.
”Oh, I was only twenty-four hours from Tulsa
Oh, only one day away from your arms
The jukebox started to play
And nighttime turned into day
As we were dancing closely
All of a sudden I lost control as he held me tight
And then he kissed me, caressed me
Told me he would die before he would let me out of his arms

Oh, I was only twenty-four hours from Tulsa
Oh, only one day away from your arms
I hate to do this to you
But I’ve found somebody new
What can I do?
And I could never, never, never go home again…”

”This is sooo romantic”, I remember some of us screaming.
So, as we listened more to the Dusty cd, we started to wonder, what it would be like: driving a car together, trying to find the right route, running our of gas, screaming to each other ”If it hadn’t been for you, I would not be totally lost in the middle of nowhere” and how at least ”I’m going to have a drink now, you don’t own me!” And in the end at least Miss H and myself would be hitch-hiking by the empty road and wishin’ and hopin’ that the Brad Pitt-type of dark stranger would appear!
(The bolded parts are all song names from the same Dusty Springfield album :))
So that was when we first decided that a road trip is a must to have. We need to be 24 hours from Tulsa.
Unfortunately Dusty died back in 1999, so there is no chance to hear her live. But what made us happy was Orvokki’s mail today, where she told that Gladys Knight will be performing in Las Vegas when we are there! So it will be Midnight train to Georgia instead of Tulsa. Now all we want is that Jack Black and Robert Downey jr will do her company…
But right now it’s 48 hours to Helsinki.