memories

A day off. It promises time in bed with books and coffee. Waking up, however, there is no power and it is not possible to make coffee. First world problems. I pack my computer, a book, and some chargers into my backpack and set off on a walk to find coffee and Wi-Fi. I take a walk past my office, hopeful that Candy has her café open so that I can have breakfast there and work from a friendly environment. Candy is a Korean lady who, with her husband, runs the small cafeteria in the office building where I work. I could have gone into the office itself, but the only food there on a holiday comes in the form of vending machine snacks… not really ideal for breakfast. I walked on, quite some distance, and opted for the only thing open at that time on a public holiday… McDonalds. I knew they had Wi-Fi and coffee, so that was where I went. I ordered a muffin, coffee, and orange juice, opened my MacBook and connected so that I could answer some critical work messages and mails. It was a beautiful morning, clear blue sky, and a pleasant fresh warmth to the air. I pulled my phone out and sent a voice message to my dad as is our daily custom. He replied to let me know he was heading to the beach with his dog, Sky, and then would make dinner. I sat back and sank into a nostalgic flight through life… soccer in a muddy garden in Greater Manchester as a child; dry hot walks to school in South Africa; happy family poolside Christmases in the southern hemisphere; my first trip to the USA in 1999; winter walks in the woods of Surrey, UK, as an adult; rampant parties and travels in Madrid and around Spain; finally champagne days in a park in Cambridge, Massachusetts, after moving to the USA. I am a very nostalgic individual. I love technology and change and exploration, but I miss the past, I miss family and friends and lovers and places. I miss moments in time. It is probably the reason, or a reason, why I am unstructured… I love to dream and drift, to contemplate the past and ponder upon places and people. I found a photo that I had taken of my best friend in a bar in Brooklyn and, as is the beauty of digital photography, I was able to look up the date and location. I went to Google Maps and discovered that we were sitting in a bar called Boobie Trap… I immediately shared this great memory with my friend, and we were able to reminisce.

                  I finally drifted home, my phone was alive with people messaging from Europe about articles and details, but I was suddenly immune… my trip down memory lane had soothed my soul, and I was able to take in the sun and the air and the lack of electricity with great ease. 




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