Friday, January 18, 2013

Homecoming… of a sort…


I can’t say that coming to Charlotte was really a homecoming, for I had never been in this city. But, after a short while and for the first time in a long time, I felt "at home”.

One evening, after another long day and feeling truly tired of all my surroundings  while fighting a surging sensation of depression I called my brother Pepe who, despite living in a relatively small apartment with his wife, 4 children and an added young man who is the son of a childhood friend, showed an absolute lack of hesitation in his voice when I told him of my situation…

-“What are you waiting for brother… Get over here”…

So, leaving my newly acquired friend Campeón behind, I pooled my modest earnings at the time and headed north on the Greyhound Bus Line.

This overland trip was an experience for this weary “world traveler” who had lived in 4 or 5 different corners, worked at one time or another in more than 50 countries, flown well over a million miles over a few years, ridden the bullet train in Japan and Europe but for whom a bus trip through the back country right here in the States was a new and different happening.

Today I get in my car and can be in Miami in about 11 hours, but that long and tiring bus ride took slightly over 25 hours. We stopped in every possible city, town, hamlet and back road stop where a soul could get on board and, it seemed, go to try and find a new life to face and conquer a “brave new world” (thanks for the phrase Mr. AH). Most of the folk who did get on in these out of the way stops brought with them what were all their worldly belongings and future memories in a small suitcase or sometimes in cardboard containers… Then again, all I had at the time was stuffed into my backpack… and these did not include much in the way of “future memories” because frankly… what I was at that time leaving behind did not merit much notice under the heading of fond remembrances..

I guess we were all fellow travelers on the bumpy road to a better future… or so we hoped.

My sister in law and I met only once before, when she and my nephews and niece arrived in Miami and I went with my brother to receive them at the very terminal from where I would be boarding a similar bus a few years later. That earlier occasion was a lighter and happier one. It was a family reunion after some very stress filled days while waiting for them to cross the border, pass through immigration in Texas and head to Miami. My brother took them north to the Carolinas a few days later and here I was, following in their footsteps (well… tire tracks) and with a lot less fanfare…

I am sure I was a sore sight when the bus finally came into my destination. There were some contributing factors; I was not physically well at the time, had not slept in the last 25 hours for the seats were not very comfortable and the ambiance was not sleep inducing… and my clothes probably smelled of whatever had been nearby during this time… so probably did my skin…

It was an early fall morning, the sky clear and the air crisp… a very change from the fairly oppressive South Florida heat and humidity. Just this made me feel better and lighter as I went outside to wait for Pepe and Luisa, who would be coming to pick me up. They arrived and bounding out of the car, both embraced me in a familial hug (that’s a special kind, you know?) put my things into their van and took me to their apartment.

We arrived while the children were at school, so we had a few quiet moments (not many of those in that home!!) to talk, catch up and for them to show me my little corner… My brother had gone out and bought a small single bed which was put into as private a corner of the living room extension as could be found yet, a room to be shared with one of the boys… as was everything in that apartment…

-“This is your piece of land and where you’ll sleep…" 

-"Welcome Home Brother”

Be Well … Be Back!!!

Final Notes:
  • Pray for those who are fighting an illness which may take them away from their loved ones… Every request is heard, and counts!!
  • Follow us on Twitter … @RJAsPandora
  • Any comments please send to otherboxp@yahoo.com
  • “La Otra Caja de Pandora”… The Spanish language Blog… “otracaja.blogspot.com”Bienvenidos!!!

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