Saw my birth mom at a gas station in Tulsa last spring

I was stopping for gas on Route 66 near Catoosa around 6pm. I saw a woman who looked just like the old photo my adoptive mom kept. She was paying at the pump and I froze for like 2 minutes before walking over. We ended up talking for 15 minutes and she admitted she thinks about me every day but never reached out because she felt guilty. It made me realize that not all birth moms are distant by choice, some are just scared of messing things up. Has anyone else had a random meeting with their birth parent like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

patricia_rodriguez2d ago

Route 66 through Catoosa is a stretch, not really a place you'd stick around unless you had a reason. If she was paying at a pump in Catoosa at 6pm, she was probably heading east toward Tulsa or west out of town. Weird how a 15 minute talk can change your whole view on something. Most people drive right past that area without stopping.

wendyw712d ago

Driving through there a few weeks ago and I read this article about how the Blue Whale in Catoosa used to be a big deal back in the day, like a real roadside attraction. But you're right, the gas station at 6pm feels like a total afterthought, just a pit stop. That 15 minute talk thing really sticks with me too, makes you wonder if she was running late or making a quick decision. I heard somewhere that missing a turn on Route 66 around there can add like 30 minutes to your trip because of all the backroads.