10/17/12
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| Gustav! Again!? |
We are back in North Carolina for the time being. Veronika has barely been at the cabin,
spending her days in Black Mountain at the new, improved Hostel home away from
home art gallery space. I have
been quarantined to this hill. One
afternoon a reading told me to “go now” and be “showered with abundance.” So
naturally I drove to the nearest lotto participant and bought a ticket. I left the car running because
I’d been recently reduced to roll starting the Vdub, who hearby will be known
as “Gustav”, and no hills are to be found in the center of Burnsville, NC. While sitting inside and scratching my
(losing) lottery ticket, my engine exploded. Or so it seemed. It was spraying
coolant and steam in a demonic fashion, I sat quietly while it tapered
off. I remained calm and
held the wheel watching my temperature gauge continue to rise. “I could sure use an angel about now,”
I muttered as I climbed out to inspect the damage. When I popped my hood a man of about seventy stepped to
my side. He insisted I use his phone to call triple A, then motioned for me to
hang up and offered to tow me home on his own flatbed. Humbled, I accepted. The entire way to Scronce
Creek he spoke of angels and miracles. I listened, smiling and finally when I was safely planted at
the shop on the bottom of my hill, I told him he was sent by an Angel.
10/25/12
I’d signed up to massage backstage at a Gwar show in
Charlotte prior to Gustav’s metal breakdown and found myself frantically
searching for a ride, exhausting nearly every favor I could call in. A cab ride would cost $300, Greyhound would put me there late or
the night before with nowhere to sleep and suddenly those I drove around all
summer were M.I.A. The morning of the show I awoke before the sun, slipped a
mile down the hill on foot, reveling in the utter and silent beauty of the
mountains just before dawn and arrived at Trick’s trailer. He’s a roughneck gentleman of about 50,
although he could be 70 from the look of him; a lifetime of pill addiction and
beer for breakfast and cigarettes for air hadn’t killed him yet. I offered him gas and other items I had
in my possession, thank you Travis, and waited on the edge of the sofa for an
hour while he thought, concluding in “I couldn’t possibly.” I immediately trekked home, straight up
it seemed, and decided I would wait one hour to call it off as it was my
planned departure time.
While on the phone with the contracting company’s
administration assistant, Kenny (the one my bride friend disliked) beeped
in. His plans had fallen through
and he felt like going to see Gwar! At the last possible moment, everything
fell neatly into place, plus I had an amazing time with my selfless friend!
It took three days and several failed attempts to get the
part I needed and I happily dropped it off to be installed the morning I was
set to leave for Florida. Veronika
and I painstakingly emptied the cabin, disassembled her tent, stuffed
everything we owned into her car, then mine when it was ready. Eight miles later once again Gustav
no go. Luckily Veronika was
following, and a man on a nearby construction site helped me get running again
so I could make it to the nearest gas station. In the meantime I was growing concerned I would not arrive
in Orlando the next day to massage Rob Zombie (high school soundtrack anyone?)
so imagine my joy when 3 hours, 30 dollars and an herbal tip later I am
stuffing the storage unit to the brim ready to hit the road! Now imagine the
level of useless rage followed by complete deflation when the gig is reassigned
because “car trouble is a red flag… sorry.” Keeping my chin up, and faith that all would work out, I
continued on south, now $30 short in gas money.
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| Juan, healing art with Veronika |
I woke up in the St. Augustine rest stop at eight am to a
very snugly Josie and the pending question “How will I drive three more hours
on an eighth of a tank?” I hit up
my usual gas money/massage trade Florida companion to no avail. He’d told me the night before he’d help
but perhaps felt teaching me a lesson would be more appropriate. I made it to Palm Coast and began my
pawn shop search. What I found was
a “precious metals exchange,” located on the second level of a executive office
building. I was buzzed in, handed
cucumber water and seated in a chair easily worth more than Gustav himself. I brushed back my frizzed, slept on,
road tripped out hair and tugged at my mismatched sarong and tee shirt ensemble
bore of middle of the night uncomfortable outfit rejection. In moments I would be biting a
quivering lip at hearing my favorite silver rings were worth next to nothing,
swallowing the sudden shock of being stranded somewhere, completing niceties
and hurrying out the door. I took
a walk with Josie to recalibrate and to my amazement stumbled into a labyrinth
next door to the swank office park.
I walked it, and yes Josie at my heels, arriving in the center to
meditate and my phone went off. It was another Otown client of mine, Maria,
offering to fly me to Florida to massage her family. It was 11:11.
Three hours later she’d wired me enough money for gas and lunch and I
was rolling into the city right as Shane was getting out of work. I didn’t appreciate Orlando when I
lived there, but I felt welcomed by sunny arms upon my return.
11/1/12
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| My boyo, Casanova pooped out from Pack Chores. |
Many massage clients received Reiki and I worked a lot
seeing nearly all my loyal repeats.
Was told “Didn’t think it was possible, but you keep getting better,” by
two separate people. Reconnected
with and healed my relationship with my soul brother Juan and witnessed that
same spark in he and Veronika.
Hooped my ass off at the full moon drum circle and gave Reiki to a
stranger. Reunited my pack,
all of them, successfully, safely and joyfully! Saw my buddies Heather, Matty J, Wesley, Veronica, Ashley and
Margret. Spent quality time with
Shane. Assisted in a Reiki healing
for Veronika’s grandmother who is slowly leaving this world, while surrounded
in busy nurses. Was deeply
saddened to lose a friend who unwelcomed me and backed out on keeping
Josie. Was elated and relieved to
have Shane extend his hospitality to her only hours before Healing Tour was
scheduled to commence. Broke down
again on the way to Veronika’s folks’.
Made it Veronika’s and left on schedule.
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