ESSAY
Don’t Tell Me About Your Vacation
It was incredible, I know
You went to the Grand Tetons, that’s great
I’m happy for you
Me? I was here at home, sitting on the patio
staring contentedly
out at the woods
They are actually quite beautiful
So many people are travelling
Happy they can afford to
What? You whisked your family off to Paris
strolled the Champs Elysee
Lolled in the Louvre
and so on
Fantastic!
Now you’re back
exhausted, whipped, dispirited
So sorry
and … complaining about the blandness of life here
That’s true
being back can be tough
By the way
the neighborhood was achingly gorgeous last night
even with the “dullness” here
I gazed up at the broad swath of the Milky Way
Glimpsed a shooting star
no kidding
(Sorry . . . a meteor)
Slept deeply, mind wandered the cosmos
Hey, you’re back from the desert Southwest?
drove through Arches and Zion national parks
Indeed, amazing sights!
Saw them myself some years back
Totally agree, absolutely
Me? I set up my chair in the yard by the woods this morning
sipping a nice java
crickets chirping
frogs croaking
a pleasant breeze
contented
A stray cat wandered by
gave her a few pets
You schlepped
to make all those trains
spent lots of money
got stressed
I considered for some time how to make that cat purr
without getting scratched
(there are spots one must avoid)
London, wow! But wait . . . What? It rained four days out of seven?
plane delays too
sorry about that
those things do happen
Now you’re back
whipped
“People are about the same everywhere,” you say
Maybe
Yeah, probably
(though I bet they have a few less weapons of war over there)
No, no, it’s fine, I’m happy for you.
Me? I played tennis, loved it
read some Eckhart Tolle
made a stir fry for a small group
had a nice Cabernet
cheeses, nuts
enjoyed it
Someone started talking politics
Oh, no, we stopped him cold
f*ck that, for sure
You were in Venezuela and Peru both, very cool
culture culture, and more culture, how nice
I’m happy for you, no, no, no need to hear all the details
What? You got jet lagged, caught COVID, spent too much dough, sprained an ankle too?
Hmm…
But it’s good you got away, really
Me? I was here watching Wimbledon
cozied up, big picture window
beyond
sun shining in
You went to Santa Fe, sure
been there myself
even ran into Natalie Goldberg at a café, no kidding
didn’t know what to say
Lovely place, no less
Air a little thin for me
More trips coming up?
Very happy for you, enjoy yourself, but one question:
You’re not running from anything, right?
Not looking to get high, distracted, avoid?
Okay, just checking
Good to hear
Me? I’m fine, happy
not exhausted
appreciating the small things
decently contented
and that’s okay
