Colossal T’s Forgotten Dreams

Several times a year, for various reasons, I leave suburbia and travel several hours south down the interstate. On those trips, interesting but abandoned places flash past my windshield as I race by at 70 miles per hour. I often wish I had the leisure to stop and photograph them, but inevitably other commitments dictate the flash card in my camera remain empty.

This weekend was different.

Rounding a bend, a colossal “T” grew rapidly, dominating the view through my windshield, then, just as quickly, it devolved into a little “t” in my rearview mirror, just seconds before it ceases to exist. I often rocket past colossal “T” wondering what this place was, thinking, maybe next time I’ll add a stop to my journey.

Finally resolving that this time was last time’s next time, I made the decision not to leave my camera hungry.

This long-abandoned restaurant is at best, difficult to get to. When traveling south, you have to exit 4 to 5 miles before the colossal “T” comes into view. When traveling north, you have to do roughly the same. Perhaps not being able to “get there from here” was the cause of this restaurant’s demise. Or perhaps, once upon a time, the Interstate was much more accommodating and deposited hungry travelers directly into the parking lot.

Or maybe it was food poisoning.

Now home to “previously known as new” appliances and tires stacked like pancakes, this building was once alive with the sound of forks and knives clanking on plates, travelers chatting excitedly about their destination, children asking to go to the bathroom, waitresses asking “what’ll ya have?”, busboys whisking away the left-behinds, and cooks banging pots and pans while they plate the house special. The utter silence of this place is now deafening.

Regardless of the reason for its closing, it is important to remember, every abandoned building was once someone’s hope and dream for the future. On one hand, that is sad to think about. On the other, at least they tried. And perhaps, they were happy and successful for a time.

I wonder what the colossal “T” served for its last meal.

As I left the colossal “T” behind, I spied other interesting photo opportunities. Unfortunately, those will have to wait for another time (if I’m lucky).