by Pa Rock
The Good-Bye Boy
Friday afternoon. In twenty-four hours I will be landing at Narita Airport near Tokyo and preparing for the long flight to Seattle. I have my headphones ready, so I will spend that time in the air watching movies, reading, and maybe even doing some writing. From Seattle I will fly on to Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix where my good friend Leslie Kirby, a psychologist at Luke AFB, will be waiting to meet me.
As I near the end of my work career, I can look back and realize how fortunate I have been to make such wonderful friends everywhere that I have been employed.
Another good friend, Valerie Seitz, whom I originally met at Luke, is asleep on my couch. She spent the better part of yesterday helping me get my car de-registered (a very cumbersome process), and has been my chauffeur ever since. Tonight we are headed out to dinner with still more friends. It is Nefredia's birthday, and her daughter has just arrived on island to visit, so we will be joining them and a few others for a nice meal. After dinner Murphy is taking us for a ride on Okinawa's famous Ferris wheel. It will be my second and final ride on the contraption - and I will enjoy it immensely!
I had planned on seeing the new Oliver Stone film, Savages, tonight after dinner, but many of the Okinawans who work on base are having a one-day strike and the theatre has been closed. It guess I'll wait and see it on some hot afternoon in Phoenix.
Forty years ago geckos were extremely common on this island. Most houses had a goodly number of the little lizard-like creatures climbing the walls and scampering across the ceilings - and occasionally falling onto a dinner plate or the human who was trying to enjoy a meal, bath, or nap. The creatures have a distinctive little bark that lets you know they were on duty keeping the bugs at bay.
This time around I have not seen many geckos, which is kind of sad. The old building that I have worked in had almost none, leading me to conclude that the Air Force has probably been spraying them to oblivion. But today, my last day in the Mental Health building, a little gecko fell off of the wall right in front of me and ran into my office. It made me smile. A few minutes later, like Elvis, I had left the building - never to return.
If my friends in Arizona would get together and make it rain for my homecoming, I would be most appreciative!
The Good-Bye Boy
Friday afternoon. In twenty-four hours I will be landing at Narita Airport near Tokyo and preparing for the long flight to Seattle. I have my headphones ready, so I will spend that time in the air watching movies, reading, and maybe even doing some writing. From Seattle I will fly on to Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix where my good friend Leslie Kirby, a psychologist at Luke AFB, will be waiting to meet me.
As I near the end of my work career, I can look back and realize how fortunate I have been to make such wonderful friends everywhere that I have been employed.
Another good friend, Valerie Seitz, whom I originally met at Luke, is asleep on my couch. She spent the better part of yesterday helping me get my car de-registered (a very cumbersome process), and has been my chauffeur ever since. Tonight we are headed out to dinner with still more friends. It is Nefredia's birthday, and her daughter has just arrived on island to visit, so we will be joining them and a few others for a nice meal. After dinner Murphy is taking us for a ride on Okinawa's famous Ferris wheel. It will be my second and final ride on the contraption - and I will enjoy it immensely!
I had planned on seeing the new Oliver Stone film, Savages, tonight after dinner, but many of the Okinawans who work on base are having a one-day strike and the theatre has been closed. It guess I'll wait and see it on some hot afternoon in Phoenix.
Forty years ago geckos were extremely common on this island. Most houses had a goodly number of the little lizard-like creatures climbing the walls and scampering across the ceilings - and occasionally falling onto a dinner plate or the human who was trying to enjoy a meal, bath, or nap. The creatures have a distinctive little bark that lets you know they were on duty keeping the bugs at bay.
This time around I have not seen many geckos, which is kind of sad. The old building that I have worked in had almost none, leading me to conclude that the Air Force has probably been spraying them to oblivion. But today, my last day in the Mental Health building, a little gecko fell off of the wall right in front of me and ran into my office. It made me smile. A few minutes later, like Elvis, I had left the building - never to return.
If my friends in Arizona would get together and make it rain for my homecoming, I would be most appreciative!
1 comment:
I am guessing it just coincidence that you are being met at Sky Harbor by a psychologist; and not a therapeutic intervention.
Speaking of coincidence, an isolated rain cloud came slowly over Oz just now. The need to water the garden has been removed for the day.
I spoke with Chad yesterday. He's supporting Bob Eye for Congress. I am for the other guy, Tobias Schlingensiepen. Fortunately you don't have to say his name to vote for him, although I can and will.
Oh, right now I actually hear thunder!
It was a rough morning in KCMo two construction workers were struck by lightning. Also a serious cross over multi-victim car/truck collision occured in the same vicinity this morning. Let me check, yes this is Friday the 13th.
Be safe. Glad you are coming home.
Post a Comment