Memories...

I bought a bike a few days ago, the pedal variety. I held off on riding it home after work for awhile because for a good portion of the route home I would be going through the dirt and there are still some massive mud pits from the last rain a few weeks ago. But the night before last I finally rode home; it was so amazing. Most everyone is pretty blasé about the idea of riding a bike, but I’ve always loved it. As I rode along in the dark, I couldn’t see the guard towers, the barbed wire, anything to betray the awful nature of this place. For the half hour or so it took me to get home, I felt absolutely carefree and energized. The warm and gentle breeze blowing through my hair and clothes took me back in my mind’s eye to a hundred places and points in time all at once. I found myself wishing as I always have, that I could take the magic of a particular moment and put it in a little bottle to save for the inevitable bad days in the future. Sitting here writing about it, I am reminded of what Beryl Markham said,

“Every tomorrow ought not to resemble every yesterday. Still, I look at my yesterdays for months past, and find them as good a lot of yesterdays as anybody might want. I sit in the firelight and see them all…”

Ah well. I’ve got exactly 3 weeks before I leave for R&R back to the states. The thought of going to bed and not having to set my alarm just sounds almost too good to be true, I can’t wait. It was a slow morning and I sat down and figured out that I haven’t had a day off in 283 days. That broke my old record by 43 days. I’ve spent over 3,500 hours at work since this circus started again back in April, what a long strange trip it’s been. I requested and was approved for an extra two days in Dubai. I’m just getting a checkup at the hospital there but it will be nice to just get used to being a civilized person again before heading home. Can’t wait to hit that beach! So who's up for a trip when I get back?