Wanderers

Max is off to his next destination. I envy him- he's just starting out, still a little innocent, but on his way to becoming a worldly and wise wanderer. Today was the first time he ever flew on an airplane! My wandering days are pretty much behind me, now that I'm a married homeowner. Sure, we'll still travel, but never again the pure "Wherever I May Roam" of thumb and backpack beneath the stars and planets, themselves celestial vagabonds whose very name is derived from the Greek word for "wanderer".
Nine years ago, when I set off on my cross-Canada hitch-hiking adventure, I was a touch naive myself. Luckily, people often went out of their way to help me out. One time I was in Ontario, the middle of nowhere, and it was getting too dark to hitch-hike. Nothing but farmers' fields all around. I thought my best bet would be to knock on a random door to ask permission to camp somewhere, rather than just be an uninvited squatter. So I knocked, and 39 dogs started yipping and barking. A man in his housecoat answered the door, and I blurted out as fast as I could, "Hi I'm hitch-hiking across Canada I'm not a psycho or an ex-con or a criminal I just need a place to set up my tent can I use your yard please????" The gentleman looked me over and decided I looked harmless enough, so he said "Why don't you use the guest house I just built? It's not quite done but there's a fireplace and room for your sleeping bag, and I can bring you out a tray of food."
It was paradise, a haven for a hungry and lonely wanderer. It was experiences like that that motivate me to take in people like Max, help them out, provide a safe place for a little while before they go back out there. Maybe I'm not a wanderer anymore, but I can look out for those who are.
So I feel for Pluto today, stripped of its "wanderer" status. But it's still up there, indifferent to our nomenclature, indifferent to all the roamers and homebodies, making its way slowly around the sun.
Anyways, here's to Max, and Pluto, and all wanderers past, present and future! May your orbits always be clear of debris! And watch out for Neptune.