Back in the Boze

I’m exhausted.

Leaving San Francisco:

Woke up at 4 am, to get a ride to SFO. Danny had to be at work at 6, so he had to drop me off many hours before my 9 am flight. I had stayed at his girlfriends house in the city the night before, mindlessly watching television for the first time in months.

I got to the airport and didn’t quite know what to do with myself.

The security line was excruciatingly long. I got my kindle out and continued reading The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. The book is good, but it irritates me how much the author sounds like Vonnegut. He isn’t as clever with his writing, but the ideas are just like those of my main man Kurt. I find myself cuddling with his words as if they were written by Vonnegut, then coming to my senses, feeling like I’ve betrayed my loyalties.  I like the book though.  I do.

Anyways, I flew from San Francisco to Denver. As I was boarding the flight to Denver, a woman came up to me, with another woman beside her. The first woman was probably about 60 years old, had blond hair, and was very decorated with gold and designer labels. The woman beside her was a foot shorter than her, a little Asian woman, clutching her baggage and a notepad like it was the last thing she could grasp before falling off a cliff.

“She needs help,” the older woman said to me.

“Oh?” I said, not quite sure if she was talking to me.

“Can you get her to her baggage in Denver?” She said.

“Yeah, ok.”

The older woman gave the Asian lady a hug, and scurried off. I looked at her, smiling up at me. She handed me her notebook, and pointed to the page I was supposed to read.

“I do not speak English. I am going on flight 445 to Denver, and need help finding my luggage in Denver. Thank you.”

I realized I wasn’t going to baggage claim in Denver, I had to stay in the terminal to get my next flight.

The lady reached in her purse and pulled out a little ziplock bag with some food in it that I’ve never seen before. It was like a white beet, cut in 4ths. She took a piece out and handed it to me. I took it, and took a bite. It was strange, and I didn’t want to eat it, but of course I didn’t want to be rude, so I smiled and finished it. It wasn’t so bad after a couple of bites, but I also think my tongue was numb, so I can’t be sure.

She pointed to her boarding pass, and flight number, and then at the computer screen by the gate. I nodded, yes, you’re in the right place.

I walked her onto the plane. As we were sitting, I went to the woman assigned to the seat next to my new friend, and asked if her final destination was Denver. She said it was, looking at me like I had no right to ask her such a question. I explained that this woman needed to be led to baggage claim in Denver, and showed her the notebook. The woman let her guard down, and agreed to take on the responsibility of getting this lady safely to wherever it was she was going. I went to my seat, and drifted off to sleep. My job was done.

I had a sudden moment of fear, as I parted ways with her, realizing that she many very well represent my future struggles in Asia.  I will be traveling alone, completely ignorant of the languages around me, trying to get from one place to another.  I will likely be just like her, throwing my fate into the hands of strangers, relying entirely on their good graces.

Oi.  Getting nervous.

Anyways.

After a short layover in Denver, I boarded a flight to Bozeman. It was quick and turbulent. Whatever.

Got to Bozeman, and my friend Robbie came to pick me up. Robbie was a cook at Yellowstone, and I knew him for a week before he got fired. He’s been in Bozeman ever since. He will be taking care of my car for the winter, and he came to get me in the old thing. I had some friends from Old Faithful drive it up here after I quit, and they gave it to him just a couple of days ago.

So Robbie, Kate, and Mogely were there to greet me. We drove to their apartment, and met up with some other Yellowstoners out in the parking lot  They were just stopping by to say goodbye before heading out on their roadtrip home. As we were standing in the parking lot  Howie and Megan pulled up and got out. Howie and my best friend Megan! What are the chances. I was amazed by this stroke of luck, especially since they just came through to drop something at John’s apartment and then keep driving North. They too are going on a roadtrip.

We went inside and had about 15 minutes to catch up.

“How was deep clean?”

“Ugh, awful, I don’t even want to talk about it. It was just so ridiculous. We had to….”

And so it went.

We hung out in the apartment pretty much all night, except for a couple little excursions out on the town: Pita Pit, and the Cat’s Claw.  Besides those little adventures with Jake and Scottie, his roommates, we just sat and watched Dexter for 3 hours.

I was not myself really all night.  My mind is somewhere else for now.  I miss my friend Ray, and I’m not ready to leave the West yet.  I know I’ll be back, but damn I’m not ready to go.

Now here I am in the airport again, hanging out with cook Matt, waiting to board my flight.  Today: Bozeman to Denver, Denver to Chicago, Chicago to Boston.  Five planes in 2 days.  Heck yeah.  Can’t wait to be settled tonight, and shower!  I haven’t showered since Sebastapol…yikes…