Several friends
gave me notebooks and told me to write everything down.
I did that once, wrote half a book about a couple that were
spies living in Santa Fe.
Sweet romance too. I really liked that book but it got
kidnapped by a man I once trusted and I’ve no real memory of what I wrote.
And now I’m here
in Costa Rica with no phone and no television and the only music I have is
downloaded on my iPhone. For company I’ve my three dogs, one cat and a neighbor
named Efrion. Don’t ask how to say that. Only Alex knows. For entertainment tonight, Sunday, I read the
Tico Times. I can go to speed dating on Thursday, ladies night out on Wednesday
and Salsa dancing on Friday. Fine by me
except for the fact that I live
out in the boondocks down a long and bumpy road which
requires me to cross the narrowest bridge you ever saw. Literally, just enough room for my car tires,
with a tiny side railing made of 12” of concrete. Today my car rode on top for a minute and I
wondered if I should jump from the car or just ride it out as it fell over and
into the rushing river. Maybe I should wear a life jacket while I cross over
each day. All I really know is that Alex wants me to lock my doors and wear a
seat belt as I travel along this road.
You won’t be able
to find me here. There aren’t any addresses in the entire country.
Oh, there are directions like: 600 meters north of the Banco
Popular
On the road of the Alfaro farm
To the left of the Villas Jacquelina
Carretera Manuel Antonio
Quepos 6350
Costa Rica
That will get you to the TEFL school that I’m attending to
get my certificate to teach English as a second language. If you want to come to see me at my little
cottage it would be something like this:
On the road between Quepos and Parrita
Past the radio tower and just over the bridge
Turn right at the sign Rancho las Tilapias &
Chicharronera
Just after you notice the sign to Jaco
Follow the dirt road around this curve and that
Past the school and the store and the rooster farm
Around the corner from where the pig lives
Just past the very narrow bridge
On the right side where the gates are
Just turn on into my very short drive and come on in!
I’ve been alone for a lot of my life. Lots of nights to
fill.
Here, it’s the noises of the jungle keeping me company. Titi monkeys, rain, an occasional bird. Rain.
My animals, of course. And the noises in my head. It’s the noises I’ve come to
conquer. Teaching is just what I’ll do while I think.
I had a shrink, Dr. Stanley Rosenberg, who ended each
session with, “Fake it till you make it!”
I’ve been doing just that for many years now. I’d like to get back to
who I was before.
Back to who I am.
Let me just tell you about my day. I woke to the barking of the neighbor’s dog
and to three dogs and one cat in bed with me. I only have a full size bed. Put a leash on Gizmo, he’s blind, and took
everybody out for a pee. Lucy wanted to
play ball so we did. She has a remarkable ability to catch the ball on the fly
as it bounces up in the air off a rock.
Came in and feed everybody except Gizmo who hasn’t eaten since he got here six
days ago. Drank a cup of coffee and took
everybody out again. I should clarify
here and say that the cat has only been out for a nano second and I was holding
him. He scratched the hell out of me so I haven’t let him near the door again.
Filled my water
bottle with Alex’s invented funnel. Take one used water bottle, cut a small
hole at the bottom. Hold over second water bottle and fill with large water
bottle.
It works and will save me money as the large bottles are the
most economical.
Get in the rental car and pray you don’t fall into the river
on the skinny bridge.
I was 10 minutes
late to church which was full of about 200 people all singing to the Lord under
a great number of fans. The church has
no alter. Just a concrete wall and the start of a marble floor. The host is
kept off to the right in a large gold container that has an angel guarding it. The musicians are off to the left on the
side. Thank goodness for the
terrific sound system as all the babies were crying all at
once. I sat next to a grandmother who
loved my bracelets from the Vineyard and couldn’t wait to kiss her
great-grandchildren during the Peace. I followed along in the order of my
church at home but only understood “Hombre” and “Alleluia”. Afterward I met my new friend De and went to
her apartment in Manuel Antonio to have coffee and get some questions
answered. She is willing to help me find
another place to live, my lease is up in mid-November. I took her to lunch and
left her to walk back to her place. She
has an open air
kitchen/living room with a shower curtain for protection
from the rain. Her bed and desk and bathroom are behind a glass door which she
can lock. I’d say the entire space is a
big as my kitchen back home. She seems
happy although after getting to know her at lunch
I’d say she’s had quite a bit of tragedy in her life. Paradise is where you make it I guess.
Home to let the
dogs out. That took an hour. Back to town to sit in a café with Wi-Fi to read
emails and try to skype. Nobody misses
me apparently since there was only one email from a dear good friend and not a
soul on skype. Most of my people haven’t
even bothered to sign up so to hell with them I guess. I’ll try not to pout
until it’s been a month. Just found out
the “plan”- that I’m on with AT&T cost me $1700.00 for these 2 weeks that
I’ve been here. So much for America. I
will try to buy a phone here although I need someone to do it for me since I
don’t have any utility bills. Skype and
email will be my means of communication but that’s problematic since I don’t
have internet access here at my little Casita.
Back to town I go. I did arrange
to tutor two Tico women for Wednesday mornings so that's exciting.
Speaking of
women, I’ve been looking and there are no pool boys here. It seems that all the
men are married and the boys are under 16.
I don’t know where the 20 somethings are but it appears I will be looking for them for quite a while.
