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| It's wierd. You meet someone... just anywhere. The bus. Waiting in line. At a restaurant. And you have a short conversation. Maybe you share a few details about your life... confide something in that person and vice versa. Then they are gone. Forever. Working at a sandwich shop I talk to a lot of people. Sometimes extensively. Sometimes in passing. I hear sad stories - single mom, 2 kids, no family, just surviving (said with a smile) - and I wish I could see what happens. But I can't. I hear happy stories - son returning from Iraq tomorrow, can't wait - and I miss the happy ending. Will there be tears? Why does life happen in clips? Why can't there be more depth? Why don't chance encounters become meaningful? I want to convey that I care. But I need more time. I'm going to try and "smile like [i] mean it." | | |
| So my barber is a very old weather beaten man with a thick spanish accent and an extremely deep voice. He speaks words of wisdom like a sage councils a king and sometimes I just sit there and think "if I grow up to be ugly, I wanna be like him..." Today he tells me that I am going gray far too early and that I should wait till I get married to let my hair turn all white on me. "Ok, good enough" I think to myself. Then he goes on to explain that I should see the world, learn how to live before I settle down with a nice "chica". "And also" he says "learn how to dance. To dance to music is the way to a woman's heart". Dangit, I suck at dancing. But I probed the issue and asked him if he had gone to see the world, learned to dance, and settled down with a nice rich chica. He looked at me and said "No, but I wish I had. I wish I had tried to do something; tried to get the impossible girl, that would have been the best to do." If I could get my hair cut tomorrow, I would totally do it. | | |
| Nationals: Pick up revolver, lower the hammer, place barrel on temple, apply pressure to the trigger and close your eyes. The end. That's about how nationals felt. But if you think I sound suicidal now, you should have seen me before I had three weeks of separation from the actual disaster. Final thoughts: dagnabit. Boys State: Intelligence has never looked stupider than those 1000 guys (the best of their schools) acting like morons for 7 days. I felt stupider after I left. But I did meet the Governator. He's a pretty beefy man. Team Baja: 2 weeks in mexico without basic luxuries (water, food, air), but it was a blast. I have an amazing farmer's tan, more appreciation for my pillow, and several cool new friends. The month of June as a whole: rip the month of June out of the calender and piece by piece feed it to the paper shredder. Sincerely, Russell PS - yes, I guess I'm a tad spoiled. There are those that would include 5 place impromptu and a debate speaker award as a successful nationals - I just have absurd expectations... | | |
| This is good bye for about a month... Maybe more. From nationals (in Texas), I will go to Sacremento (for a mock legislature deal) for a week, and then take a midnight bus ride back to SD where I will be picked up in the morning and carted off to Mexico for two weeks. If I am still alive at the end of that - you may hear from me. In the mean time : happy summer. Ciao. | | |
| 1 day until monday 6 days till saturday 8 days till monday 13 days till saturday 15 days till NATIONALS | | |
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