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A BIT TOO LATE

How many times have I thought, “ that could not happen to me”? And how many have I realized that maybe that’s not so impossible…?

So there we were, a friend of mine and I, ending a fantastic week and trying to convince ourselves that it was time to return. Sad faces and two “don’t feel like traveling back” expressions seemed to be our faithful companies.

If anybody had ever told us that we were going to spend such a funny time in Chile, we’d have probably distrusted.

The reason or perhaps the excuse for the trip was a Communication Congress, which was taking part in Santiago, in late October. I guess we would have never chosen Santiago as a Holiday destiny, if we hadn’t had to. But suddenly, there we were, in an unknown country, with unknown people, wondering what we could do. Fortunately (or not), we didn’t need to wonder for so long. As soon as we got to the hotel we realized that not everything was so simple: the place we had already booked by internet was not only ugly but also located in an unpleasant neighborhood. I guess those are the risks of internet reserves. Anyway, we didn’t care for fatigue, nor for the time: without knowing anything from the city and it’s dangers, and being 11:15 at night, we started to walk along Bernardo O'Higgins avenue looking for a better place for us to stay. It was hard, risky, but also necessary. After and hour, we had found an amazing Hotel. From then on, everything was almost perfect. We visited different places and two nearby cities. We met many people, some very kind, some less so and, of course, we had lots of fun. Unfortunately, as The Guns & Roses used to say, nothing lasts forever. After 7 days, we had to come back to Bs As.

So there we were, Lala and I, at the airport. I don’t remember exactly which day it was, but I believe it was a Thursday afternoon. The flight was set at 16.40. Since we’d already checked our baggage and tickets, we had enough time to visit the free shop. And so we did. We took our time, we walked, we looked, we chose and… when we were ready to pay, the cashier suggested that it was too late. At first, I thought he was overreacting. Unfortunately, soon I realized he wasn’t… And gate number 5 couldn’t have been so far!! I felt like Forrest Gump trying to reach the door where the plane was supposed to leave. It was like those dreams where you run and run miles and you never get to your target. But finally, we did. And we saw both: gate 5 and the lady responsible to check the boarding pass. No one else, just her and her not very friendly face. No more people. No line, no noise. With our last breath we managed to ask her for the flight number 4670…I will never forget her answer, nor ours. I knew desperation makes amazing things. But I didn’t think that so much. If I had to choose the most stupid thing heard in the whole trip, I couldn’t decide between my words and Lala’s. The woman in front of the gate looked straight in the eye and answered with a pretty ironic voice: “Ladies, your plane has already left”. “But it’s only 16.30”, said my friend. “Without us?”, added I. And, as if those words hadn’t been enough, I went on by saying: “Can’t we stop it?

I wish I had shut my mouth. I insist: desperation makes amazing things (and silly words). But, we had already left the hotel; we had no more money and nowhere to go. I could not think. Why had we stayed so long at the free shop? Why hadn’t we looked at the watch earlier? What would have happened if we had done so? I have no idea. All I know is we were a bit too late. At that moment, the only thing that came into my mind was a movie: “The terminal”. I imagined myself, like Tom Hanks, staying at the airport, sharing my time with passengers, walking and eating there, until we could leave… Thanks God that did not happen… Curiously, we went to LAN’s office and a nice lady offered to us the next flight to Bs As, which was only 2 hours later. We didn’t have to pay for the tickets, neither for the tasks… We only changed our boarding passes. That was all. Suspicious? I’d say so. I’m sure it was their mistake. I bet the flight was oversold and that’s why nobody called us to board the plane, before closing its door. I’m sure. But it doesn’t matter. No longer... Maybe Santiago didn’t want us to leave, just like us.

Anyway, we had two hours left and there wasn’t too much to do, but wait or… buy something? What a great idea! We could go back to the free shop! Naturally, we did. But, this time, not for so long, and looking repeatedly at our watches. There’s something we learnt that day: a stitch in time saves nine. (2010)

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It happened in one second. Well, may be in two. He opened the door and it was there, just the why I expected it to be: a mess. A real mess. The floor was untidily covered with paper, paint and brushes and the furniture was displayed in a whimsical way. But I loved it, in spite of that, as soon as I saw it.

‘Maybe, we could pull the blind up …’, I suggested. ‘Of course! I’ll do it. Let me, please’, he answered. I turned the lights off. It was 20 past 6 and still clear. Couldn’t believe it. The expression on my face was enough proof.

I had been waiting for so long… I couldn’t believe those years of dreaming were about to end. No more disgusting noise, no more interrupted sleeping, no more messy rooms. No more repeated complaints.

And it was perfect, just perfect, even in such a chaos it looked exactly as I had been wishing it to. I spent a couple of minutes looking for the trick. I bet something was hidden. It had to be. But there wasn’t anything.

‘Are you sure that’s all? No more money…?’ I insisted. And he assured that I needed no more. Again. ‘ok… I like it. I want it. What should I do then?’ I asked. ‘You should book it’, he replied. Ok… let’s go then…

We went out from the building. I wanted to shout. I didn’t. Instead, I decided to phone Lucas. I needed his approval. He sounded happy, like me. That turned me even happier.

We took a taxi. It was only a few blocks far from there. However, it seemed like 100 kilometers.

Finally, we arrived. We went in together. And he started writing. So your name was… and you are giving in now… so… just sign here please. ‘That is it? So easy?’ I thought.

So close… so soon… I kept in silence for a while and then I did it. I signed. Only a few matters are pending. And then, finally, I will be living on my on. (Nov. 2010)

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A time when things worked out much better than you’d expected…

People use to tell me I shouldn’t be so negative. I’ve been told it’s just a matter of the law of energy and attraction and somehow… I’m trying to learn so…

By the end of the Winter, at the begining of September, I was working like any day at the office when suddenly an email surprised me. It wasn’t the whole mail what was wrong, but just a line on it. It talked about a convention, kind of business trip. Great! (I thought) we’d been expecting for it. It usually takes place in a beautiful city, around October… And so I read: “According to the great year we had, which was only possible because of… bla bla… and referring to…. And… this time the Convention will take place in September. So please, be sure you’ll be free from 27^th to 30^th…”

I’m sorry, what? (I Thought). 27^th? It says 27th. Doesn’t it? But … my birthday is on 28^th… and my family and friends? And my birthday party? And what about all the things I’ve been expecting to happen on my birthday? Wasn’t this supposed to happen in October…? Too many questions and not even one answer. I can’t get it and I don’t like it. I’m staying in BA! For sure! (I said). And those were my last words.

Until then we didn’t know where the convention would take place. But I didn’t care. I wanted my birthday just the way I’d been planning it. And I also wanted to travel, but not then…

A couple of months later we got to know the destiny: Llao Llao, in Bariloche. It sounded good. But the date still sounded so wrong… By checking the agenda I found out something else: there were activities for 3 days, but only one of them was a full day activities. Could you imagine which day it was? Of course: 28^th. Unbelievable! I insisted: I don’t want to go!

Anyway, despite the refusal and distract, I traveled. And … honestly, I’ d never enjoyed being wrong about something so much.

What could I say? It was perfect… just perfect. The best thing? The people, and the place, and the days, and the nights… Actually everything was great. Really, I couldn’t believe I could spend such a beautiful birthday working, far away from home and without my family and friends. But actually I did. If I had had to plan it, I probably couldn’t have done it. For sure, it couldn’t have turned out the way it did.

The night before my birthday was just a thing with some of us walking around the hotel lobby … A couple of drinks (not many), some music, laughs and not more than that. But I had fun, undoubtely.

The following day started quite early (just like every single day there) and I listened to the “happy birthday” from the very beginning: during breakfast. And then at lunch and in the breaks… and at dinner... It was a hard day full of talks. It wasn`t easy to harmonize the phone calls, the desire to repond to all of them and the impossibility of doing it, together with the attention I was suppoused to pay to the metting. But somehow I managed. Fortunately, the day did not finish at the end of the meeting, something much better was preapared for me: my real birthday party. Actually, it wasn`t strictly “my” party, but the convention party. But in a way it seemed it had been preapared for me. And I loved it. Till then, I hadn’t noticed so many people from the office loved me and cared for me. Realizing that felt nice... I only wish Marce had also traveled with us. We missed her. I’m sure she would have enjoyed as much as we did.

After that day there were two more days left and finally, the return. The hardes’t part.

Well, I guess there’ s not much to add. It was one of my best trips ever and I almost missed it! Sounds crazy. Doesn’t it? In times like these is when I enjoy being a bit pessimistic, cause I’m sure that there’s no better way for getting something especial than not expecting anything... (2010)