Where I Should Be

I decided last night that I’d take the place on Franci$ca Rodriguez street that’s being rented until almost the end of the month by a sweet little old lady B. Today I found out she rents the place for $1200 USD in the high season which starts next month. Rents here are crazy that way. But I’m paying about $300 for the next 3 weeks which beats the cost of staying even in a cheap hotel.

A. came by around 12:30 with his buddy Ri(ardo who’s a taxi driver who drives him around to get stuff to set up the restaurant. They helped me schlep those 70+lb suitcases up the steps and into my place. The apartment is even cuter and nicer than I’d remembered. The ceiling is made of brick with a sort of wave design. Apparently Be@triz’s dad was from Syria/Lebannon which somehow influenced the ceiling’s design. I sat and listened to her for awhile today and she mentioned how her husband deserted her and her 3 kids but that was fine because she then didn’t have to answer to anyone. I can’t tell how old she is but you can see that she was really heavy at one point because of the huge amount of excess skin that hangs from her arms. Now she is a thin, frail woman who spends most of her time sitting in a chair. Her English is great because she worked for 15 years managing a hotel nearby. She lives alone with her 3 dogs: 2 poodles and a Bassett Hound who’s very protective but who can be easily deterred by showing him a stuffed toy dog that he’s afraid of.

A. gave me a wonderful large potted aloe plant that I put out on my balcony. I’ve been wanting a plant since I’ve gotten here ever since the woman at my storage place in eNYC had told me I should buy a plant as soon as possible and then watch that plant grow as my new life starts to grow in this new place.

Tonight I went swimming with @lden in the pool at his apartment complex. It was really awesome to see a family come and teach their little daughter who couldn’t be more than 2 how to swim. She had no fear and loved jumping into the water and having her mom throw her up into the air and land underwater briefly before she resurfaced and tried to swim. This all occurred in the dark!

Afterward I stood on A’s balcony and brushed my hair and looked out at the lights of the city below and thought how absolutely lucky I was to be where I was right then and there. It was truly a magical moment. I thought how supportive Rebe((a has been and how I’m happy that she sees my path more clearly than I do sometimes. I realized that I’m exactly where I should be doing what I should be doing.