I slept in rather late today. All of the driving has worn me down. My ass is still numb. I'm up to about 800 miles in total with the shoebox on tires. I met up with the parents at about 1pm for lunch. We drove to Hof's Hut in Long Beach for lunch. It's funny how I gravitate toward three or four of the same places when I return to CA...each has comfort foods for me...takes me back to a certain time and place.
After lunch, we drove to Seal Beach pier and walked out to the end, chatting about random things all the way down to the end. My parents have this interesting and slightly annoying way of pushing one another's buttons. Neither of them stays on the same topic for long, then the other one can no longer follow the story.
I returned them to my father's place where my mother cleverly dumped a bunch of random crap with my father...he's just going to throw it away but he was good at humouring her for the moment, which made my mother feel like she was doing something good. I have a video of their exchange and it's rather funny.
I didn't wind up going out with Gilbert, Tom, Sheryl and Roxanne. Roxanne's phone was disconnected and Tom couldn't get in touch with her, Sheryl wound up having to work late and Gilbert was helping a friend with a wedding set up about an hour away. He didn't think he'd make it until after 9pm. Tom's been working really early (4am) and he was wiped out. I went over to Tom's at about 5:45pm and we walked to an Italian restaurant ten blocks away and we had dinner. After dinner, I went with him while he walked his dogs and then I departed.
I took Pacific Coast Highway all the way back to my hotel. I stopped in Huntington Beach on the bluff and went for a walk in the early night. The moon was shining down on the water, the waves were crashing below me, a cool sea breeze was blowing...it was nice. I walked around for 20 minutes, gazing out to the moonlit horizon, thinking about my situation in Chicago and wondering what should be on my "bucket list"...I've been reading "The Last Lecture" and have discovered that both the book and my friends have changed my perspective about the relationships I've built out here. The book changed what I've taken away from my visit...it will undoubtedly change the way I view my friendships back in Chicago.
I never did get in touch with Monica...and Joy wound up having to stay up north because they are trying to buy a new house. I would have liked to see her the most, so I'm a little bummed out that she didn't make it down here. In spite of the pictures, I still cannot believe she's a mother...I have too many memories of her going out clubbing and coming back at 3am...God, that seems like a lifetime ago...it really does.
I miss my 20's, they were fun...my 30's started as a struggle but they're getting better.
I took some interesting video of my mother and father interacting. I was having a tough time not laughing while filming it. I'll post it to when I get back. I don't know how I turned out as normal as I did being their offspring. I also got my sister's phone number and address so I can get in touch with her-I would really like to build something up with her and my dad said she's asked about me as well. She's 18 and the last time I saw her, she was in diapers in a stroller at the San Diego Zoo.
I just left California seven years ago and never made amends to the relationships I damaged by departing. I started doing that this week and it feels pretty good.
I could have stayed out here a couple more days but I think I've been here long enough to both appreciate what's here for me and appreciate what's back in Chicago as well. I've got a lot going for me and I'm sitting on the edge of so many great things-it's exciting to realize.
Now I have to get off my ass and make it happen. I don't want five years to go by and realize that I have accomplished little more than increase my carbon footprint on the earth. I don't know why it's happened now but I'm becoming more aware of my legacy and my "history", wondering what will be remembered and what I've accomplished in my time.
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