Last Day in Omaha
My last day in Omaha was spent making the final preparations for the long journey to Dayton. I got a late breakfast at Razzie's Deli. The connection that I have with Razzie's is deep. Everyone has a haunt that they frequent. In high school, we went to Razzie's nearly every day for lunch. Originally selected because of gracious accommodations to smokers. But it developed beyond that as Razzie's became uniquely ours. We got to know the workers, and they recognized us. Items on the menu became "ours". I was there alone, and I sat at our regular table. I have since quit smoking, but I could still smell the smoke, and still hear our chattering that seemed so long ago. Finishing my small meatball sandwich, I bad one last fond farewell to Razzie's.
Going home, I plopped down on the couch and watched three hours of Star Trek, a habit I acquired this summer. If you've never watched Star Trek before(as I hadn't) and you had vigorously mocked Trekkies(as I have) you may find yourself pleasantly surprised by the content of the show.
I got my last possessions rounded up, and my road trip buddy Pat came by with our U-Haul. We loaded up some of my things and then went for one last trip to Golden Palace, a Chinese restaurant that we love. As I stepped inside, the enormity of the step that I was about to take hit in a rush of smells, sights, and sounds. The sizzle of the wok, the chattering of the kitchen crew speaking quickly in their native tongue. I ordered a broccoli and beef, my favorite, and sat down with Pat to enjoy it one last time. The feeling of anticipation in the air was palpable. We chattered as idle schoolgirls over the trip ahead of us tomorrow.
Finishing lunch, Pat took me home and I did a little more packing. My mom got home from work, and we went shopping for some new clothes, and a last few things that I need for my room.
Finally, we headed off to my going-away party. I offered a convocation, asking the knowledge I was about to gain could be put to use ensuring that all people have this same opportunity. We feasted upon a turkey dinner and talked of earlier times. At the end of the evening I parted ways, not with a heavy heart, but full of hope for times yet to come.
Aug 16, 2005 10:01 AM
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