On my way back home
I boarded the plane armed with a backpack, a guitar case, and a stuffed bulldog named “Handsome Dan” sporting a shirt that read “Yale Class of 2008” across its little bulldog chest.
I grabbed the first aisle seat I could find that seemed suitable: enough storage space above it to fit my guitar (check), plenty of older folks who’ll likely just sleep the whole time including a guy right in front that looked like Santa Claus (check), little or no children around a 4 row radius (close enough).
I plopped down and glanced over at my aisle-mate sitting in the window seat – a freckled boy about 10 years old, riding alone, and holding a stuffed Dalmatian puppy dog under his left arm. Was I slightly embarrassed to realize that I was carrying a stuffed animal similar to that of the kid sitting next to me? You bet I was. But it’s not like I was trying to impress anyone. Santa Claus passed out before they pulled out from the gate, freckled kid busted out his laptop to play “Star Wars the Best of PC” as soon as they gave the signal for electronic devices so it’s not like he’s the coolest kid in the playground.
Even though I’d gone specifically in the terminal to avoid this exact situation, I had to urinate like a race horse during takeoff. I tried to wait til they undid the fasten seatbelt sign, but I couldn’t hold it. In my defense, a mother with a toddler took him up to the restroom a good 10 minutes before I made my move, so she had already breached the “please remain seated” rule. Of course, that didn’t stop the flight attendant from reiterating over the intercom to “please remain seated until the seatbelt sign is turned off” right after I got back to my seat. Punk. Way to make me feel like a jerk. Thank goodness Santa was snoozing otherwise that definitely would’ve factored into the naughty list category.
I ordered my Dr. Pepper, picked up some Ritz cheese crackers (as endorsed by Wyclef Jean), and put on my playlist specifically designed for this flight back to San Antonio. I’d been working on it for a little while. Throwing some songs together, editing, giving it a test run, some more editing. The concept for it was essentially just about going home and leaving DC and just the sentiments around it, in general. As I listen to the first songs and await my Dr. Pepper and sneak glances over to freckled kid’s screen to check his status in the Rebel Alliance, I’m glad that the songs I’ve picked are doing just the trick.
As I ponder while munching on my crackers and sipping my soda, I’m still not sure how to describe or sum up my departure from the District, which probably makes sense. Perspective takes time it seems.
My work situation was kind of awkward for sure though. Basically, what happened is that I set an end date for my position at the end of July and booked my flight for late August so that I could have a few weeks to say farewell to the east coast. Only during my last week at work, I found out that another department needed to fill a temp position in the San Antonio office. The only catch was that they needed me to start sooner than my flight date. So guess who left work and then came back to the same office just two weeks later. Yup, yours truly. And while it could’ve been more awkward, it also could’ve been a little less awkward too. Not complaining though because the job opportunity is a great one and I’m super happy to have it, cuz it definitely beats my other options, but it was kind of funny to experience. And being the dork I am, I definitely quoted the Al Pacino a couple of times:
The last weekend was definitely nice as well, which allowed me to see some great friends while enjoying some of the cool spots in my neighborhood in DC. Fancy beers and sweaty dancing at Wonderland ballroom, rooftop bbq at a friend’s apartment off the metro, bougie Mexican food lunch followed by a Michael Cera movie, and farewell drinks at Room 11 on a night that was the coolest and least-humid night that the District’s seen since summer began. I couldn’t have asked for better times or better company.
It was bittersweet to say the least. So much so that I would’ve written a symphony about it, but then I’d have to pay the Rolling Stones all those royalties…so screw that. So instead I made this playlist. Which has some bittersweet tunes, rife with lyrics about people moving away or traveling to new places or going home and the repercussions of it all.
Check out the playlist via grooveshark, and maybe recommend some going-away songs of your own too.
-DR
p.s. part 2 of this tale should be coming soon
I grabbed the first aisle seat I could find that seemed suitable: enough storage space above it to fit my guitar (check), plenty of older folks who’ll likely just sleep the whole time including a guy right in front that looked like Santa Claus (check), little or no children around a 4 row radius (close enough).
I plopped down and glanced over at my aisle-mate sitting in the window seat – a freckled boy about 10 years old, riding alone, and holding a stuffed Dalmatian puppy dog under his left arm. Was I slightly embarrassed to realize that I was carrying a stuffed animal similar to that of the kid sitting next to me? You bet I was. But it’s not like I was trying to impress anyone. Santa Claus passed out before they pulled out from the gate, freckled kid busted out his laptop to play “Star Wars the Best of PC” as soon as they gave the signal for electronic devices so it’s not like he’s the coolest kid in the playground.
Even though I’d gone specifically in the terminal to avoid this exact situation, I had to urinate like a race horse during takeoff. I tried to wait til they undid the fasten seatbelt sign, but I couldn’t hold it. In my defense, a mother with a toddler took him up to the restroom a good 10 minutes before I made my move, so she had already breached the “please remain seated” rule. Of course, that didn’t stop the flight attendant from reiterating over the intercom to “please remain seated until the seatbelt sign is turned off” right after I got back to my seat. Punk. Way to make me feel like a jerk. Thank goodness Santa was snoozing otherwise that definitely would’ve factored into the naughty list category.
I ordered my Dr. Pepper, picked up some Ritz cheese crackers (as endorsed by Wyclef Jean), and put on my playlist specifically designed for this flight back to San Antonio. I’d been working on it for a little while. Throwing some songs together, editing, giving it a test run, some more editing. The concept for it was essentially just about going home and leaving DC and just the sentiments around it, in general. As I listen to the first songs and await my Dr. Pepper and sneak glances over to freckled kid’s screen to check his status in the Rebel Alliance, I’m glad that the songs I’ve picked are doing just the trick.
As I ponder while munching on my crackers and sipping my soda, I’m still not sure how to describe or sum up my departure from the District, which probably makes sense. Perspective takes time it seems.
My work situation was kind of awkward for sure though. Basically, what happened is that I set an end date for my position at the end of July and booked my flight for late August so that I could have a few weeks to say farewell to the east coast. Only during my last week at work, I found out that another department needed to fill a temp position in the San Antonio office. The only catch was that they needed me to start sooner than my flight date. So guess who left work and then came back to the same office just two weeks later. Yup, yours truly. And while it could’ve been more awkward, it also could’ve been a little less awkward too. Not complaining though because the job opportunity is a great one and I’m super happy to have it, cuz it definitely beats my other options, but it was kind of funny to experience. And being the dork I am, I definitely quoted the Al Pacino a couple of times:
The last weekend was definitely nice as well, which allowed me to see some great friends while enjoying some of the cool spots in my neighborhood in DC. Fancy beers and sweaty dancing at Wonderland ballroom, rooftop bbq at a friend’s apartment off the metro, bougie Mexican food lunch followed by a Michael Cera movie, and farewell drinks at Room 11 on a night that was the coolest and least-humid night that the District’s seen since summer began. I couldn’t have asked for better times or better company.
It was bittersweet to say the least. So much so that I would’ve written a symphony about it, but then I’d have to pay the Rolling Stones all those royalties…so screw that. So instead I made this playlist. Which has some bittersweet tunes, rife with lyrics about people moving away or traveling to new places or going home and the repercussions of it all.
Check out the playlist via grooveshark, and maybe recommend some going-away songs of your own too.
-DR
p.s. part 2 of this tale should be coming soon
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