The Accolades From Francis & Others

It sure was good hearing big-time accolades from people as we trekked across the country.  Most of these were actual utterances.  On Day 2, Francis (the guy who let us sleep in his backyard) hears us describe our previous hitchhiking trips, together and separately, and concludes, “Now you’re out on national tour.  That’s great.  Welcome.  You guys are heroes.” In California, there was Uncle Ralph. He listens to stories about delivering Starla’s baby and eluding the cowboys in Nevada, and says, “For either that or the baby alone, you guys should be on the cover of Life magazine . . . New Jersey to California—by thumb.  We got a couple of celebrities in the house, Betty.  We’d better treat these guys good.” In Southern California, the voice imitator, Jim Sills, who brings Roger to the backlots of Hollywood says (p. 265), “Most guys I pick up aren’t seeking the yin and the yang, like you. But you earned your way out here on your thumb, so you deserve to see this place.” In the laundromat, Joe Namath (or in real life, the guy who looked like Joe Namath), was anxious to shake my hand and said, “Gee, I always wanted to do that. It takes guts to come out here on your thumb.” The only thing I made up was in Utah on p. 85, when the female state trooper says to Roger after he delivers the baby, “The state of Utah is proud of you.  You guys are an inspiration to us mortals, both of you.”