The Calm
"You should visit."
"I know..."
This short, somewhat frustrating conversation sidebar happened at least once during every Skype conversation I had with Mia Sorella for two years. I always had an excuse -- always lacked either time or money -- and nothing much came of it. Then this summer, I started throwing around November. "I could probably make it happen in November. We'll see how things look after this summer. November might work."
Well, it was October and I still didn't have a plane ticket. Mia Sorella had pretty much given up on me. Then came a brief exchange with Mr. Rogers, who was getting restless in western South Dakota and wanted to hit the road for ... somewhere. Anywhere.
Just a few days later, and only fifteen before takeoff, I had a plane ticket.
There was a lot to be done in the meantime. What was supposed to be the calm before the storm kicked into a madcap flurry of activity; suddenly I had packing to do, things to gather to take to my sister, papers to fill out and applications to submit now. There was the usual pre-trip stuff -- Sophie's brakes had to be checked and I was doing my customary overpacking -- and before I knew it, it was the day before Halloween.
That night, I landed at Storm and hung out with Shorty for the evening. The next day, a couple "appointments" in RC with people who had my future in their hands. (And my aunt, just for fun.) Finally, I was out at the ranch, my stuff sorted (clean clothes, dirty clothes, clothes for Korea, and the ever-necessary carry-on bag with 18 hours of entertainment) and my mind on the road ahead...
"I know..."
This short, somewhat frustrating conversation sidebar happened at least once during every Skype conversation I had with Mia Sorella for two years. I always had an excuse -- always lacked either time or money -- and nothing much came of it. Then this summer, I started throwing around November. "I could probably make it happen in November. We'll see how things look after this summer. November might work."
Well, it was October and I still didn't have a plane ticket. Mia Sorella had pretty much given up on me. Then came a brief exchange with Mr. Rogers, who was getting restless in western South Dakota and wanted to hit the road for ... somewhere. Anywhere.
Just a few days later, and only fifteen before takeoff, I had a plane ticket.
There was a lot to be done in the meantime. What was supposed to be the calm before the storm kicked into a madcap flurry of activity; suddenly I had packing to do, things to gather to take to my sister, papers to fill out and applications to submit now. There was the usual pre-trip stuff -- Sophie's brakes had to be checked and I was doing my customary overpacking -- and before I knew it, it was the day before Halloween.
That night, I landed at Storm and hung out with Shorty for the evening. The next day, a couple "appointments" in RC with people who had my future in their hands. (And my aunt, just for fun.) Finally, I was out at the ranch, my stuff sorted (clean clothes, dirty clothes, clothes for Korea, and the ever-necessary carry-on bag with 18 hours of entertainment) and my mind on the road ahead...
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