Sunday, August 31, 2008

Day 113

naked. not empty, like it was when we first moved into the office, but eerie and now hollowed of our computers and stuff and gear and everything. after the final jones soda toast, russ gave each of the three of us an autographed hokus pick cd and we turned in our keys and headed to the final staff meeting.

although the room was filled with teary eyed staff and soon departing friends, i stood in the moment with a sense of heart ache rather than an expression of noticeable sadness. bittersweetness. the summer's over now. the word facebook resonated a thousand times amidst the room and in nearly every conversation. kind words as well. music and heart were two uplifting subjects.

after many goodbyes and pictures and final goodbyes and last second goodbyes, we got on the van that was taking five of us to victoria. so many times, during the half day we had after each camp, we had travelled that road to longboard around the town. kings of crown town.

i put myself in the shoes of the two that were catching flights home that evening. the other three of us were on our way to seattle, where i sit right now. although i had a strong feeling before flying out of chicago that i wouldn't be coming back at the end of the summer, i could in this moment in the van imagine the return home and facing the intense longing for this life that i would feel for thisa west coast and people and style and ease.

heartache began to fade as parker and i boarded the vintage ferry and bobbed across the water towards the mainland mountains of port angeles, washington.

once back in the usa we went to jack in the box. not five minutes passed before a lady came storming in and up to the front counter complaining about the missing cheese in her burger. the defensive night shift manager held down company policy and refused to give the lady the cheese or even the thirty cent discount because of the lack of a receipt. there was anger. the lady stormed back outside, smashing the cheeseless burger into the sidewalk in stride of her unctuous stomp to her idling car.

welcome back to the u.s.a.

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