here today

 

the interview

in southern california along the coast it smells like honeysuckle.  it smells like honeysuckle and the sun is always out but the breeze from the ocean keeps me - the girl from Oregon whose ancestors came mostly from the fjords --- the breeze from the ocean which carries with it the smell of honeysuckle keeps me the Norwegian girl from Oregon cool and happy. 

Inland it's not so nice.  Inland the houses all look the same and driving to my sister's place always means calling her and making her stand outside and wave to me and even then she looks like every other blond haired blue eyed tummy tucked hotpants tight t-shirt mom on the block.  the VivaBush! bumpersticker on the new car would help me find my way if I didn't block it out with my I'm going to get along with my family on this visit rose-colored glasses.

I started inland on saturday with VivaBush! and the pool that lights up at night and bad art in Expensive Frames  - art so bad it's not even signed - and family gathered around a television as large as my cubicle at the insurance agency and a house stocked with fake vanilla creamer which means morning without coffee because if I drive in search of it the good stuff I won't be able to find my way back.  Being directionally challenged in a place where every house looks the same all of them the color of dust and every person looks the same golden tan white teeth means I stay inside and play with Buster the dog who is usually ignored by everyone except the baby niece who tortures him.

The baby niece likes to scream until she gets her way which is usually just a few minutes after she starts screaming but long before I'm ready to scream, too.

I started Inland with the family and the VivaBush! bumperstickers and moved west to the coast with the ocean breeze carrying the smell of honeysuckle.  I ate at Julian's with chili verde corn tortillas piles of spice Ice Cold Negra Modelo washed it down and made me smile.  Made me smile to be away from the desert and the Big Screen TV.  Made me smile to be on my own terms on my own yes and I'll talk about the interview tomorrow.   Right now I'm tired and the people at the insurance agency have questions that went unanswered yesterday and this morning I flew in this morning drove straight here glasses instead of contacts coffee wearing off too quickly.

Posted by: 120pages at 13:41 | link | comments (3) |