Saying good bye has not been easy but at one moment I totally lost it. It was, at all places, my he moment at which I lost it was at my local Shopper’s Drug Mart. There I was buying last minute supplies, the check out clerk smiled lovingly and said:
She: We are going to miss you!
Me: Oh my goodness, I am going to cry!
It just seemed so unlikely, for goodness gracious, at a vast Shopper’s Drug Mart, a large chain. it seemed rather anonymous but a women reached out to me and rewarded me for my cheerfulness. I was touched.
The busy day continued and it was off for the final hair cut by Vicky, my stylist since August of 2017. She worked her magic, the best hairdo of my entire life, me thinks. Friend Nicole met me took a picture of the back of my head which was duly placed on Instagram. There were thirty likes and two comments, one from London friend :
She: How stylish my dear. Show me the front.
Me: Nope.
I do enjoy being a brat! I do it well. Then to a farewell dinner with friend Nicole, whom I have known since April of 2017 when I first went to live at the Trump International Hotel and Tower. We shared some of our early memories, now both of us have gone onto bigger and better things.
But then back to more packing and organization. The apartment passed muster and my deposit shall be returned. The alarm shrilled at 2 am. Shrill shall be the word of the day: high-pitched, piercing, high, sharp, ear-piercing, ear-splitting, air-rending, penetrating, shattering, strident, loud, strong, intrusive, screeching, shrieking, screechy, squawky. ANTONYMS low, soft, dulcet. Such a pain, but final packing and chores.
But then things turned awful – all it takes is one bad apple. An expensive driver was hired to ease my way transporting me to the station where I would grab a bus to take me to the station where where I would grab a bus to take me to the Amtrak station in Seattle. He was supposed to call me to tell me he was on his way and then call when he got to my place. No telephone call: NOTHING! Panic! Finally, in desperation I hurried to the lobby, found him sitting outside.
Me: You were supposed to call me. I was told that you were to call ahead and tell me you were coming and then call when you got here!
He: I did not know that. I did not get those instructions!
Hurriedly up to my apartment grabbing the luggage and leaving the key as instructed before departing my apartment for the very last time.Then to the station, not as yet open. The rude driver than dumped my luggage on the sidewalk saying hie had to be off to Whistler.. The whole purpose of the driver was to get help with the luggage and then the horrible discovery! My carry on bag, with computers, phones, cords, medications, had been left at the apartment with no access because the keys were left. I was panicked and sick to my stomach – everything had been so carefully planned and now this. Feelings of rage surfaced – rage and frustration. Even though it was early morning I called wonderful Klaus, the helpful, kind, considerate, efficient man who is the leasing agent. He responded immediately and began a race against time trying to bring the bag to me. This, it is to be recalled, 4 o’clock in the morning. Success was not reached, but almost!! What a wonderful man – my true blue hero. The travel agent who made the arrangement was not to be found – will be back on April 1 said the bounded back email and no response to a text message. A fellow passenger helped lug my luggage to the bus – what a nice man. Everyone was so helpful. On the bus, a woman at an adjacent seat was a fascinating companion, she a film producer from London (of all places). She helped with my baggage at customs and later went to get coffee for us at the Seattle Amtrak station. I gifted her with a copy of my Tate book. She was so charming and so knowledgeable. Then at the architecturally superb Amtrak station I met a couple travelling to Napa Valley. The wife worked for Microsoft, she gave me a Microsoft pen and I gave have her my Tate book. She was a seasoned train traveller and inspired me with tales of her travels.
It was then onto the train and a feeling of vast relief to settle in my room, put my feet up. I was starving and so went to the snack bar prior to lunch. A Hebrew National hot dog and cheese plate and then lunch. I made a special friend – Fabio (sp?) – how we laugh and joke together. He is great. This morning I kissed his cheek saying it was so pleasant to be kissing a fool on April Fool’s Day. Of course he laughed.
There were so many people to meet on the train and so many conversations with fascinating people of all ages and all walks of life. But one of my more interesting conversations was with a young girl still in high school. She laughingly told me that I reminded her of her mother in my demeanour. My goodness another word of the day – demeanour – manner, air, attitude, appearance, look, aspect, mien, cast; carriage, way of carrying oneself, conduct, way of behaving, comportment; British deportment. Eerily her mother’s appearance and mien may resemble mine. The mother’s husband is twenty years younger than she is. Very eerie, for reasons that will, at this point, be unstated.
As I write I am about to arrive in Emeryville and then onto San Francisco. Instagram contained a picture of a man on a horse. I wrote:
Me: My goodness, my knight in shining armour sans the armour.
He: No response as yet.
He looks most masterful, competent, and handsome astride that horse. He is younger than I am, by twenty years.
The photograph is of the back of my head, with the Instagram caption:
Me: The back of my head looking better than the front of my head after a Vicky haircut.
He: Nice and salsy
Me: Yeah! Love that hair and natural.
