Check one off the Bucket List!

I travel quite a bit for work, and on one of the trips up to Omaha Nebraska I passed the sign for "World's Largest Porch Swing" as I had probably 12 times before. The more I drove by it, the stronger the urge to actually stop and see this grand thing got. I built it up in my mind as this 2 story, 100 foot swing that could fit 500 people at one time. I just HAD to see this thing!

So I swung off the highway and followed the signs. Signs all through the dinky little town. You could tell they were really proud to have something that was the largest in the world...even if it was a porch swing. Turns out it wasn't even on a porch! It's in a park. I took a picture, and I didn't even sit in it. I'll have to stop by next time and actually sit down, just to say I did.

The interesting thing that happened though, was that after I loitered around for no longer than one minute, and started to get back in my car...an old man came walking toward me rather quickly. Of course, being from a larger town with crime, I locked my doors. He walked right up to my window! I thought he was going to tell me I couldn't take pictures without paying a fee or something. But he held something up in his hand and sort of nodded his head - to tell me he wanted to give me something. Small town mode kicked in, and I realized that he was just a nice man wanting to give me a pin. It's like he watches out his window all day (from the apartment across the street) to see who stops to see the big attraction, and runs out to give them a pin from the big box the Chamber of Commerce gave him.  It was really cute!

So next time you see a sign for something that makes you curious - take the time to turn off the highway!