The lookout point over Playa Entrega and Santa Cruz.
Because of the tsunami warning, I chose to bail on the camping expedition at Playa Organo this Saturday past. Other people decided the risk was small and went anyways. They were right. I was wrong. I had my backpack sitting by the door filled with essentials for an impromptu race up the mountains and the locks off the Italika so nothing would slow me down. I was ready to roar out of this town with a moment's notice. So I missed out this time. There will be other opportunities.
So the weekend wouldn't be a complete write-off, I rode the Italika to Zipolite for a day trip. That's always fun. I enjoy the road. If any cars or trucks get behind me, I pull over to let them by as soon as possible and take all the sharp turns at the appropriate speed. It's a lot less nerve-wracking with a helmet. I don't miss the wind in my hair at all.
Playa Entrega
There was so much sand at Zipolite, more than I can remember ever before. The Shambhala cove and the tiny one beyond were accessible without even getting your feet wet. Read a novel. Splashed in the waves. I might have had too much sun but I'll recover.
I wanted to be back in Crucecita before nightfall so I headed out around 4:30, shook the sand out of my towel, found an invite to a party on a text message - that was nice - and revved up the scoot. That's when the day went from pleasant to incredible and amazing.
Beautiful Barra de la Cruz
I ran into Marguerite on the main street so I had to stop and "Hola. Como esta?"
"Edward, Lee is here" Or was it "... esta aqui." I understood even if I couldn't believe my ears.
"Donde?!"
"Nice Place on the Beach."
Not that anyone would lie about something like that but I had to see for myself. What are headlights for anyway if not for night driving?
You see, I and several others have thought Lee was probably dead for a year and a half now. Towards the end of my teaching stint in Korea, I was getting emails from people I'd never met because Lee had essentially disappeared. He sent out a brief good-bye message to everyone on his email list and then canceled his account. Messages to him bounced back. Everyone was left wondering what happened and no one found out until recently.
Lee is this great guy I met years ago on vacation. Conversations were always interesting with Lee. We met again and again on later vacations down in Mexico. He's an interesting and genuinely cool guy, respected by everyone who knows him so his disappearance was not shrugged off lightly. The Lee hotline continued for a while. By the time I left Korea, I was convinced the last time I saw him really was the last and I raised my farewell toast to him one night in Zipolite. I was premature.
A giant pencil from one of last semester's students. Cool
Sure enough. There he was, working away on some bamboo for stairway railings. It felt like a UFO sighting. I took his picture right away in case he disappeared.
Surprise.
Look who I found.
Here's the scoop. Lee decided he didn't like his email service anymore and shut it down to switch, first writing down all of his friends' addresses. Well, things happen, days go by or, as in this case, six months, by which time all of those addresses had been lost. The craziest thing of all is that Lee found out, when somebody looked up his social security number for a job, he has actually been declared legally dead by relatives he lost touch with. Wow. It's a strange and wonderful world sometimes.
It was just so good to see him. I wish I could have stayed for a longer chat with beer and tacos and the works but the road beckoned and the work week was beginning early in the morning. I'll see him again before he heads north. Excellent excellent ending to a great day.
Grubby and tired, I arrived home just before sundown, gassed up the Italika and stopped in at Theresa's to ask what time the party started. I was already late. Some people had gone home to bed but there was a warm welcome and food and drink, typical of Theresa's legendary hospitality.
What a great life.
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