Friday, June 22: A Good Day for Adventure
Five years ago, on a Friday not too unlike today, my coworker dropped off a package that had arrived for me. "You received a box of perishables," she said. "Oh great," I thought, "another creepy gift from someone who thought my professional response to their inquiry meant I could be their ticket to the United States."
A gift from an admirer, yes. Creepy international attention? No. Just a man I had found myself talking with too easily the week before at a mutual friend's wedding. A box of fruit shipped to my desk, an offer of friendship wrapped inside.
I was in the middle of packing my belongings to start partially-scripted homelessness scheduled to end five months later in who knew what sort of living situation. I needed the fruit for meals as I packed... I supposed I needed the friend, too.
A year later, June 22 found the two of us, SOS and me, hiking to the top of a rock overlooking Castle Lake, on an adventure together.
Another year, and June 22 again was a day of preparing for half-scripted homelessness. Only now we were married and we trusted our homelessness would be brief provided the short sale of the home we wanted finally was approved.
One year later, June 22 fell in my last week of work before the adventure of parenthood began.
The next, it was the day we boarded the train for our trip around the country.
And today, June 22, five years after the box arrived at my desk, we start our vacation, passports in hand. No doubt adventure awaits.
The adventures have been grand, dear SOS. Here is to many more June 22 with you.
A gift from an admirer, yes. Creepy international attention? No. Just a man I had found myself talking with too easily the week before at a mutual friend's wedding. A box of fruit shipped to my desk, an offer of friendship wrapped inside.
I was in the middle of packing my belongings to start partially-scripted homelessness scheduled to end five months later in who knew what sort of living situation. I needed the fruit for meals as I packed... I supposed I needed the friend, too.
A year later, June 22 found the two of us, SOS and me, hiking to the top of a rock overlooking Castle Lake, on an adventure together.
Another year, and June 22 again was a day of preparing for half-scripted homelessness. Only now we were married and we trusted our homelessness would be brief provided the short sale of the home we wanted finally was approved.
One year later, June 22 fell in my last week of work before the adventure of parenthood began.
The next, it was the day we boarded the train for our trip around the country.
And today, June 22, five years after the box arrived at my desk, we start our vacation, passports in hand. No doubt adventure awaits.
The adventures have been grand, dear SOS. Here is to many more June 22 with you.
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| Newly arrived after an overnight flight |
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