Day of Departure

I thought it was better to check out early and leave the baggage in the store room, so I would have more free time on my own before the shuttle bus picks me up at 4 o'clock.

My companions have already all left. There were still places I liked to visit, but due to the limited time I had to rationalize. Besides, I wanted to walk the streets because that has always been my compass for truly feeling a foreign city.

It was finally raining, not heavily but enough to open the umbrella every now and then. Armed with the city map, I took the bus from downtown to Alamo Park. Few persons were walking their dogs and tourists were holding their cameras and taking photos of the famous view. As clichéd as it is, I took a shot too. My moto is when I am a tourist, I should not shy away from doing what tourists usually do because after all we are all tourists.

Walking through calm residential streets for more than 2 hours on that wet Sunday was enjoyable and by 2 o'clock I took a bite somewhere before going back to the hotel lobby waiting for the shuttle.

The driver, with his heavy Chinese accent, looked at my baggage and asked for extra 5 dollars because each passenger was only allowed two suitcases. He opened the door of the mini shuttle and there was a lady sitting in the first row, a man and woman in the second row and the third was empty. I hesitated for a fraction of a second when the lady in the first row said something I could not catch. I said "pardon"? She repeated "You may sit here if you like, I won't bite you" she smiled and I smiled back and took the seat next to her. She immediately asked "Where are you from?" When I replied she continued "So you are going back home?" I said "No" I am flying to South America. She said "Where exactly"?

She was smiley and friendly. In her early sixties I assumed. A Goldie Hawn-look alike, but with a less damaged face.

She introduced me to the couple sitting behind and said they were from New Zealand. She was surprised there were direct flights from San Francisco to Auckland.

She then said something like "I hope you don't mind me talking too much. I am never silent. A part of it is due to my work in the show business. I was a dancer and comedian. I wrote scripts for some big names. I met my husband, who was a Spanish ballet dancer, more than 40 years ago in L.A. and we decided to get married only 3 weeks after we met. We did not tell our families until 6 months later. And here we are, 41 years later, still together"

I thought it was amusing to listen more than to talk.

She continued "I live in Las Vegas. I visited San Francisco to attend my brother's marriage. He is gay. He had a terrible car accident few weeks ago and we thought the marriage would definitely be postponed, but no, he recovered quickly and everything went well".

The shuttle stopped to pick the last passengers. Two middle-aged ladies, who turned out to be from Spain and were flying back to Madrid as they said to our enquirer.

Few silent moments prevailed, and she said again "So nobody here is interested in the Super Bowl except me. Denver is optimistic because it is the Chinese New Year of the horse".

"In Vegas no shuttle buses are allowed to go to the airport, the taxi companies are so powerful and lobbied against it. I live only 15 minutes from the airport, but I have to pay 65 dollars for a taxi fare"

Here the driver started to explain, as far as I understood, that taxi companies in San Francisco were also trying to restrict the access of the buses to the airport, and that the daughter of the governor, or so I thought I understood, was a shareholder in one of the these companies.

She shifted her attention to me again and said she visited my country in 1990, and it was terribly hot in August. She asked "How is it now in winter as you are going back home?" I said with a smile "I am not going back home" She said "Yea, right" I thought that what was exactly wrong with those who talk much, they do not listen.

She asked the New Zealand man about his job. Intriguingly enough she did not ask me. I guessed she maybe thought the Middle East, the United States and South America being mentioned together in one case must suggest an ominous job!

The couple and the Spanish ladies were dropped off first. Afterwards, she extended her hand to me and introduced herself. She did not have a difficulty in pronouncing my name as it frequently happens. Then the bus stopped where she was supposed to leave. She looked at me and said "Nice to meet you A. Bon voyage".