Cafe Hitch-hike

2017-12-18

Souvenirs

1. A Bebel Gilberto CD I found in a place I stayed while I was in the Dominican Republic. The music was absolutely perfect for that time and place!

2. My own recording of an aerialist show, also in the DR.

3. A windbreaker I bought for $2.00 while in Boone, North Carolina. It had the name of a defunct railroad company.

4. Some marzipan candies shaped like piglets, from Rothemann, Germany. They gave them away around New Year's as a sign of abundance and good luck. I gave some to my mother, and she thought they were so cute that she wouldn't bear to eat them!

5. Memories of the beautiful buzz I had while eating curried shrimp and having a cold one at Sharkie's outside of Ocho Rios.

6. One of my favorite pics of myself is from #5, where I'm wearing a pink sundress and I'm making a beeline to the ocean.

7. A car air freshener of a cowgirl on a horse that I found at a variety store in San Rafael, California. I wouldn't mind moving there-- if I could afford it! I always dreamed of going to grad school in California, lol!!

8. A plaque from Australia, given to me by my Grandma after her visit. She had a long-time pen pal in Australia. I heard her talk about him (I think his name was Tony) when I was very young! She then got to travel there in 2000! I don't know if she got to meet him, but knowing him really sparked her curiosity! The plaque is my memory anchor to that most interesting story!

9. (A souvenir I wish I had) A framed picture of JFK that was in my Grandfather's room. My mom told me how she used to quietly watch him study for his citizenship exams, and she'd see and hear him repeat and rehearse out loud what he needed to commit to memory. Grandpa got his citizenship while Kennedy was president. What was more meaningful to Grandpa was that Kennedy was Catholic, and he felt proud that one was president. I wished I had that picture.

10. A map of Amtrak routes. I rode from Austin to Chicago on one the day before I turned 13! I was so proud of that jaunt and I loved looking at the map. Doing that took me back to that trip!

11. I also remember the music that played at that time for my 10th souvenir. A 14-year old boy on the train had a dual headphone jack on his portable transition radio. He had a spare pair of headphones and we listened together. The first song I heard when I put on the headphones was Anita Baker's Sweet love. Sometimes memories can also be souvenirs.

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