There are a lot of untold tales when it comes to COVID. There are a great many beings that are dealing with hardships caused by this pandemic. I came across a heart felt story while driving through Seligman, Arizona earlier this year. Seligman is a small one street town in Northwest Arizona that is known as the “Birthplace of Historic Route 66”. I don’t know if that is true but the town does have a legacy that proudly displays the culture of that legendary stretch of road.
Meet Max. Max is a proud bulldog that hangs out with his owners at the Copper Cart, a store that hosts a number of classic cars, motorcycles and memorabilia that remind us of that fabled era. Max has his own chair behind the counter and when you make your way through the store, he will come out to greet you while expecting an ample dose of attention as well.
You see, Max is in need of some loving these days. His owners told Linda and I he has been battling depression ever since the COVID era began. That is because all his life, Max has been accustomed to a couple hundred people coming through the door each day. They came in on cars, SUVs and tour busses to snap a few pictures in an attempt to relive or remind themselves of the nostalgia that the height of the Route 66 era represented. During their visit, they inevitably purchased a few trinkets to support the local economy and submitted to the irresistible urge to pet Max and ogle over him.
But then one day in March, it all came to an end. The busses stopped coming and the cars no longer exited I-40 to visit. For three months, no one came to say hello to Max and scratch his neck. For Max, his entire world was turned upside town for reasons he could never know or comprehend. Max became lonely, and so did the town of Seligman. It was eerie walking down the sidewalks of Seligman that day for us. Amongst the preserved nostalgia and charm of Seligman, you can sense the struggle that haunts this once jutting town and its proud residents. I found myself awash in a strange mishmash of emotions as I walked around to patron the half a dozen stores on main street. I felt a glorious feel good wistfulness and reminiscence of an innocent era, along with a sickening feeling of desolate despair that maybe this is a new normal.
If you happen to be driving from Flagstaff to Vegas or someplace around there, be sure to stop in Seligman. It is a great place to take a needed break from the highway to stretch your legs and relive that memorable period of Americana. I am pulling for that little town. We can’t risk an enchanted crossroad like Seligman simply fade away. While you are there, be sure to browse the aisles of the Copper Cart and say hello to Max. Just like Seligman, he is need of some attention.
