left behind

My grandimary woke me gently this morning. Finally the day that had been so slow in coming was upon me. It was departure day. Everything went by rather quickly. I showered, put on my comfy airport outfit, Grandipop fixed me a bowl of cereal, and we were off. We arrived right on time at the airport. pulled up at the right gate and the boys began checking their bags at the African Airways desk. My face held a rather forlorn look. I think the boys thought my emotions somewhat odd. Cully remarked in the car in a curious, confused sort of way, "were you kinda bummed last night? yeah. i thought so. i didn't know you but i thought." The boys seeed perfectly fine, even excited. Me, well, i had this closterphobic feeling all over. There was no turning back. Even if i had wanted to and had that would have ended up being depressing. So the whole situation was sad. If i went through with this, it would be sad and if i didn't, it would be sad--hence my closterphobic feeling. It was good for me though to be sourrounded by fast pace people who knew nothing about me nor cared for that matter. No one felt sorry for me and i wasn't encouraged to feel sorry for myself. I was sourrounded by people who were also trying new things and going new places. I had nothing on these people. i was equal in every way.

Sam had been talking furiously with the lady that was checking our bags. Cully had wheeled his bags to the next available counter and pulled out his tickets and passport. I went for my purse only to feel my stomach go hollow in the rawest sense of the word. I searched frantically, threw out my make-up, tore through all the my papers, shook around all my junk in desperate attempt to find what i positively knew was not there. I hadn't packed it. I was positive. I had forgotten my passport. I knew, two and a half hours away it laid in my desk draw, in my room. Our plane departed in less than an hour. I put my head down.

The boys continued checking their bags. I attempted a "uh...sam?" but my voice barely let out any volume. The boys were all set to go to Africa. I wasn't going any where. They finally turned around to find me looking like a dog who had just been wipped. I explained myself. Cully immediatly went into a "You're kidding, right?" shpeal.

"Okay. you're sure it's not in your purse?"
"yes!"
Cully goes straight for my suitcase and begins un-zipping it.
"Cully, what are you doing?"
"I really think we need to look all through here", as he begins lifting up the top.
"It's not in there, it's in my desk drawer!"
"Oh. shoot."

Sam calmly tried to digest the situation.

"Call your dad, he could bring it, right?"
"Sam, he's 2 and a half hours away, theres no way"
"hmm..you're right."

Now that we had all faced facts, it was clear that no one was boarding flight 4039 that would be going to south africa. It would arrive without the three of us. Cully gave me his calling card as Sam directed me towards a pay phone. I called my father, unsure of what i'd hear. I sighed in relief with his patience and his reasurrance that i didn't need to worry at all. He would bring my passport and i needed to go ahead and book a flight for the following morning.

the bad news: No Africa today.
the good news: I could go back to my grandparents and see Lowen and spend one more blessed day in familiarity.

Grandipop and Grandimary showed up at the airport an hour later. We packed our things and headed home. I was tired and fell asleep.

"Sienna! come on, you coming with me? I asked your grandipop if he could drop us downtown d.c. to see the sites. come on."

Sam made it sound so fun. I opened the van door, waved goodbye to my grandparents and follwed him. So Sam, Cully, and I had a brilliant day in d.c. We went to the White House, ate breakfast at the Ebbots Grill (which is where Laura Bush and her girls have breakfast sometimes), visited the Museum of National History (with this brilliant first lady display), went UP the Washington Monument, visited the Lincoln Mamorial, the Vietnam Wall, Museum of Arcives with the Declaration of Independance, played hacky-sac and i tought them "flip" in the park, saw the World War 2 monument, went to the Smithsonian, stoped by George Washington University to pay a visit to their baskin robins, and took the metro home. It was an un-wasted day to say the least. a true blessing in disguise. I didn't know these boys, that i'm traveling with, this morning when i woke up, but tonight, i can say a know them a bit better. It's been a wonderful, wonderful day and tomorrow morning, 6:00AM sharp we leave for Africa. I'm doing alright.

Today was wonderful. it started off insane and stomach plumeting but turned out for good. hopefully tomorrow we won't be left behind.