State Project: Arizona

Arizona is an old yellowed photograph of my mom with a bandana covering her hair, holding me on her lap sitting in an old jail cell in Yuma.

Arizona feels like taking a bet that the old van can get across it without overheating.

Arizona is standing on the edge of the southern rim of the Grand Canyon when I'm about twelve, my dad holding my youngest sister, grinning at my mother to take the damned picture. The Grand Canyon was bigger than anything ever was.

I have a button on my sweatshirt that says, "Say nope to dope."

Yes, yes I do.

This summer, we are going back. Taking my parents' camper. Going west and especially to this place here, to Arizona and all of its desert bigness. I plan to take a photo just like this one.

Have I been to Arizona? Yup.