This is Todd Borgie again. Today we spent the day hanging out in down town
New York City
Like many travelers to the Big Apple, our stay offered us excitement and rest. It offered Nick a warm bed to suffer in. It provided Doug and Jeff some freedom to roam where they wanted, and me freedom from the team. Hanging out with my old college roommate gave me a pleasant distance from the team. Although it was weird parting from the team, seeing them load into a taxi, and me just walking away. Being home was beginning to settle in.
Hanging out with Pete changed my mindset. After a bit of bitching about the team and defending the fact that this wasn’t just a drive by trip, we settled into catching up. Talk of books and music, and tending to the mild wants of a young boy, put a strange distance to the drinking, philosophizing days of college. It was familiar enough and the cozy Christmas atmosphere of New York and old friends helped me relax.
The day consisted of bustling people, bookstores and beers. It was nice yet disturbing the way I just melted in. I didn’t look different, I didn’t sound different, I was just another face in the crowd, completely anonymous.
We saw a movie “Dogma” which was a special blend of American irreverence, cynicism, acknowledgement and questioning of our overwhelming “American Christian” view of the world and our role in it. Everything I did and saw was American. I even picked up the Album “Blood on the Tracks” to listen to during the remainder of our journey.
I hated and loved being home. I guess it’s mostly just melancholy and now it seemed all too real that the expedition would be ending soon. What would be next? The prospect seemed exciting, but the exhaustion and the life I had grown used to left my mind confused.
I will see the team bright and earlier tomorrow for another leg of the journey home.
