on the last day of the year
On the last day of the year, I stepped off an airplane gangway into Dulles International. I was wearing a bracelet I got in New York, a ring from Ireland, a shirt I snagged in Berlin. In my purse was (and is) a traveller's charm blessed at the Vatican, a pocketknife I acquired in Boston.
Like a nomad, I wear the patchwork quilt of my existence on my back, carrying the concrete reminders of my travels as the talismans of my strength -- of who, and what, I (think) I am.
[non sequitur ensues]
Somehow, I actually got to the airport without my phone. I have the charger, the ear piece, the charger for the ear piece...I even have the "smart" carrier/holder thing that saves the battery for me...but not the phone.
We were three-quarters of the way to the terminal to check in when we realized that neither of us could remember whether we had actually locked the car. The angel doubled back to check it; I stood there with the bags, trying to blow smoke rings with just my frozen breath.
Not even two hours later, we landed at the airport; strangely without our luggage. We checked in an hour and a half before our flight, but it's just...not here. The next flight in from Atlanta ostensibly lands here in a few minutes...maybe the bag is on that one instead for some reason.
So here I am, on the last day of the year. No phone, no luggage. No clothes, no soap. I have my medications, though; my netbook, and a People magazine.
And a few of my very favorite people, people I haven't seen in a minute.
On December 31, 1999, I remember thinking what a strange way to start the last day of the year it was turning out to be. December 31, 2009 is definitely living up to it so far.
Happy mercury-in-retrograde blue-moon New Year, my loves.
"Be excellent to each other."
Like a nomad, I wear the patchwork quilt of my existence on my back, carrying the concrete reminders of my travels as the talismans of my strength -- of who, and what, I (think) I am.
[non sequitur ensues]
Somehow, I actually got to the airport without my phone. I have the charger, the ear piece, the charger for the ear piece...I even have the "smart" carrier/holder thing that saves the battery for me...but not the phone.
We were three-quarters of the way to the terminal to check in when we realized that neither of us could remember whether we had actually locked the car. The angel doubled back to check it; I stood there with the bags, trying to blow smoke rings with just my frozen breath.
Not even two hours later, we landed at the airport; strangely without our luggage. We checked in an hour and a half before our flight, but it's just...not here. The next flight in from Atlanta ostensibly lands here in a few minutes...maybe the bag is on that one instead for some reason.
So here I am, on the last day of the year. No phone, no luggage. No clothes, no soap. I have my medications, though; my netbook, and a People magazine.
And a few of my very favorite people, people I haven't seen in a minute.
On December 31, 1999, I remember thinking what a strange way to start the last day of the year it was turning out to be. December 31, 2009 is definitely living up to it so far.
Happy mercury-in-retrograde blue-moon New Year, my loves.
"Be excellent to each other."