Plate o' Shrimp

On The Road

It is one of those clear and cool New Mexico mornings. The air is dry and smells of the good adobe earth sage and chamisa. I am sitting in my friends stunning lovely guest house in Tesuque, a small cottonwood choked community a small winding dirt road banked by tall adobe walls that shelter either humble family homes or the large elegant adobe manses sheltering some of the finest art collections in the country—so I know I am not in Grenada.
I am sipping tea and listening to Scott Simon on national public radio. And I am actually listening to the radio, not to a downloaded podcast. I cried like a baby when Scott Simon talked of traveling to China with his wife and first daughter to adopt a little baby girl, Shade looking at me, cocking her head to the side and doing her best imitation of the RCA radio dog. If she was stressed by her journeys to get here, 8 hours in her crate on the Grenada to Miami leg and a stunning 11 hours in her crate on the Miami to New Mexico leg two days later, she did not show it in any way. I would leave a barky shivering dog in the crate and receive a calm and instantly happy bouncy dog as soon as she was released from her kennel.

I did not stay in the Miami of the sleek south beach nightclubs and trendy restaurants. I stayed in Miami Springs, a suburb near the airport built in the 30s.. and explored the local malls, strip and outlet alike, ate my meals at chain restaurants and had a day or two on my own to absorb the busy onslaught that is life in a major metropolitan area in the US. The great wash that is commercial life of the US seemed to flow over me in waves. Not unlike re-entering the world after a Meditation retreat, I was acutely aware of how consistent and forceful is the tide of commercial stimulation in the US. (“What did you expect”, a friend later said, “you are back in a fascist corporate capitalist state.” Ahh.. it is good to be home….) My SGU friend Natalie baby sat Shade for a few days and put her on the plane with her own dog Sunny, and followed us to Miami the next day. It was great to have someone to help share the expenses and dog transport duties with. Natalie, like me a left handed Grenada driver, remained calm when I wondered out loud if I was driving on the correct side of the road and shared my joy in the simple pleasures of walking around a Walgreen’s and being able to get a Starbuck’s coffee.

But luckily here in New Mexico I can do better than the chains. Arriving late I stayed in Albuquerque with Chris and Lisa and got to go to my old favorite the Flying Star for breakfast. Eggs and good coffee and homemade green chile turkey sausage.. the simple choice following a plethora of choices that I would never see in Grenada. Clear clear clear blue skies. Hipster Central Avenue in Albuquerque, replete with rocket scientists and homeless heroine addicts alike. I wanted to crawl into the bakery case and take a nap or alternately order one of everything. Talking with Lisa and Chris it was is I had never left yet I know I am somehow essentially changed and essentially more myself than I have ever been. It is good to be Sa again. My SGU friends know me as Sarah. Ironic that now I am answering to two names again.

Shade has found many patches of cool green grass to roll in. She seems happy to be here but keeps a close eye on me. Mommy is traveling and needs extra close watching. I can’t argue with her.. I feel better with her keeping an eye on me, she helps me feel like I am home.

posted by Sa @ 10:12 PM