What's it like to come home again?


Although I hated to leave Lucy in Cambodia, I looked forward to coming home and getting back into the routine. We had a tearful (mostly me) goodbye at the hotel. I had requested that Mr. Lim take me to the airport at eight a.m., and he was right on time. The rush-hour traffic was especially heavy with uniformed men blowing whistles long and hard. I stared out the window also long and hard, soaking up the scenery of new apartment buildings, which seemed mostly empty, restaurants, banks, and food stalls. There is a clash of the new with the old.

Fast forward, after losing a credit card in the airport, I'm on the plane in economy as usual, settling in for the 14-hour flight. I tried to doze but couldn't, and then wanted to read, but the second novel I had brought did not interest me. I sat in an aisle seat so that I could easily get up and visit the restroom, which I always try to do.

I spent an hour in Hong Kong and then boarded the 14-hour flight to Dallas. After fidgeting, I finally wound up watching the TV, one episode of Nine Perfect Strangers after another. The show was mildly interesting and helped me to kill maybe four hours, but enough was enough, and I went back to my restlessness, shifting this way and that like a five-year-old. It was odd that I seemed to be the only white person on the plane. I thought about all of the ex-pats I saw in and around the hotel, all beefy white men with nearly shaved heads and smooth faces, probably due to the heat. Currently, my hair is a bit long, and I have a beard.

My stomach was still a bit iffy, and the dim sum that was served made me mildly nauseated, but I ate it anyway, giving me something to do. I watched more TV, a comedy of some sort that was not funny, and respositioned myself every few minutes, tugging down my black jeans, which insisted on crawling up my crotch. All was quiet as I stared at the map on the TV screen, thinking about my bed at home, wondering how Lucy was doing without me.

About halfway into the flight, I fell asleep (a miracle) and woke up five hours later with only two hours to go. I was shocked but pleasantly surprised. As the time to land approached, I started to realize how lucky I was to have a nice home and pets to go home to. I did not feel the tension of entering a new and strange place, which was welcoming. I meant to eat before leaving the airport, but forgot. I had a 14-hour layover in Dallas before my final flight to Chattanooga the next day.

On the shuttle to the airport the next day, I was reminded that I was back in the land of ugly people. An overweight older woman with tons of makeup approached the shuttle. She looked miserable. She saw a girl behind me standing and said, "That's illegal! She can't stand!" Then she demanded that the driver go into the lobby and retrieve her luggage. He politely declined, and she stormed back inside. Once seated, she began to complain about the air conditioning. Just an ugly wench is what she was, as American as apple pie with maggots.

So, I'm home now by a couple of days, and classes start tomorrow, getting me back into the groove. Linda took me out to eat for my birthday, which happened in Cambodia, and I attended a friend's birthday party yesterday. My dog was very happy to see me, and I think I was even happier to see her. The cats were hiding when I entered the house, but I soon found all of them, and it was as if I had never left. 

I love my life, which is easy, although challenging at times. I caught up with my daughter, Cora, and was very glad to hear her voice. Linda picked me up at the airport, and I am grateful that she watched my pets for me. I reflected on all I had and felt rich compared to most people in countries such as Cambodia. Travel has a way of magnifying the good things and minimizing the bad things in one's life. Overall, I was happy to be home and happy that I got to spend a week with Lucy on her magical adventure. She is doing fine, but feels lonely traveling alone, which I understand. I can't wait for her to be home and have the family intact once again.

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