Wednesday was the first in what will be many goodbyes to friends and family. I went to the AT&T Call Center I worked at for so long for a farewell tour.
It lasted quite a bit longer than I had anticipated. So many people were interested in where I was going and what I was doing. I got to see some old faces and met some new ones. I even got to hijack a new hire training class for a few minutes and talk to the all about my experiences at AT&T and my upcoming adventures. Thanks for that.
The director also wanted to send us off with a nice lunch and took the wife and I to Zio’s. I haven’t eaten there in a long time and it was a nice change of pace. Not to mention the blessing of a free lunch.
I didn’t realize how much I missed it up there. I came in at 9:30 and left at 4:30 when it was all said and done. I told my story many times and everyone was so positive about it. It was a stark contrast to my last day at the store. No management was there, I just gave my keys to someone and told ‘Bye’. I got a lot of hugs and a few tears at the center. I suppose that’s the difference between seven years and ten months.
Today is Indi’s last day at the center. I hope hers goes as well as mine did.
Rhys Martin is an author and photographer from Tulsa, Oklahoma. His love of travel was awakened in 2009 when he sold all of his possessions and left the country. For ten months, he lived out of a backpack and explored southeast Asia and Europe. When he returned home, it was with fresh eyes for his home state.
As he drove the back roads of Oklahoma, Rhys discovered the significance of historic Route 66 to the greater American story. He has traveled all 2,448 miles of the Mother Road and continues to seek out the quiet Main Streets of the Midwest.
Rhys's travel writing and photography has been featured in numerous publications, including Tulsa People Magazine, This Land Press, ROUTE Magazine, Nimrod Journal, The Oklahoman and Tulsa World. He wrote the book Lost Restaurants of Tulsa, which features the stories of nearly 50 iconic eating establishments from the city's past. He has also been a contributing author to multiple Route 66-based travel and history books.
Rhys is the President of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association and serves on multiple boards and commissions related to the Mother Road and its upcoming Centennial in 2026. He loves to connect with people and share his experiences.
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Rhys' Pieces 