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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