travel
The ultimate test of a compatible relationship is whether you can stand to travel together.
Yours, Not Mine.
There are many things one could do with an extensive amount of free money. By ‘free money’, I mean no strings attached, no wings clipped, that sort of thing. For us humans, the prospect of “coming into money” is something desirable yet usually unattainable; not because of a lack of want or determination to seize it, but simply because of circumstance. For a young unremarkable person like me, twenty thousand dollars looks, to them, like a black leather-bound scrapbook recording all the places a stranger, who seems to be twenty-two years their superior, has been and seen. Imagine thick crusty pages of lacquered notes adhered to layers of stiff sheets. It would be a heavy thing to travel around with, so I’m not sure why this older person thought the space in the small of their back, tucked under their shirt and in the waist of their pants, was a good place to carry it. Maybe they thought no one would notice it thus avoiding any questioning on the matter. Where, if they carried it around like a note book or diary, I am sure some keen and prying individual would have stopped them to ask what important words were kept on the internal folds of paper. I know this to be the case in this instance, as I am one of those inquisitive and interfering people who have stopped strangers to ask what is in the note book they cling to so desperately. Most people respond with an ‘excuse me?’ ‘I’m sorry, who are you?’ But not this traveller I met only a week ago in a corner coffee shop in Yarraville, Melbourne. I was wearing my stage blacks as usual, looking like suave actor. Oh wait, let me introduce myself…My name is Ashton. I am not a suave actor. I am not a traveller. I am a watcher. I watch people, see people, uncover people when they least expect to be discovered. Of course, this is all a game I start playing when I step out of my musky rental and potter down the main street to acquire my late morning black coffee with a side of honey, and a block of dark chocolate that I discerningly conceal from the team members as they walk past me; so as not to bring attention to the fact that I have brought external food into an establishment that provides food…naughty me… I am currently unemployed and like to spend time making up stories about strangers I come across on my daily outings. Today is my twenty second birthday and day twenty-two of unemployment, which is why I chose to tell you about this intriguing person I noticed, on table 22(wink, wink), who had a foreign quadrangular protrusion from the small of their back. After a few moments of intense staring, I determined the outcrop to be a notebook of some sort. I watched this individual for the duration of their morning coffee. The usual sip and look around, place the cup down and cradle your chin in your cupped hands for a few moments while looking despondently out the window before slowly picking up the cup to take another sip. When they got up to settle the bill, they untucked their shirt and extracted the book from their pants, flicked through it, like a novel they’d read multiple times and were trying to locate a favourite quote to show a love interest of theirs, and stopped on a page that, as far as my eyes could see, was titled ‘AUS.’ With a delicate lick of their right index finger, by a wormy and caffeinated tongue, they plucked out a five dollar note and deeply resonated, “keep the change.” As they stalked out, they took a sharp look at me from underneath their frosty caterpillar eyebrows. I felt an internal pang and release as though my blood froze into icicles for a second and then defrosted immediately after piercing my heart. I squeaked out, ‘That’s an interesting looking notebook,’ and they replied, ‘Correct. You’ll never have seen anything like it.’ An indistinct caramel accent rolled off their tongue and their weathered face said more than their words did. In a single sweep they were out of the establishment and hastily bouncing down the street. Quite affected by their portentous demeanour was I, I decided to sit a short while after finishing the last of my coffee and honey (the chocolate was long gone by now), before floating up to the counter to settle the bill as my predecessor had done.
By Ashton Koroneos5 years ago in Humans
Future Journey
When the package came, Matilda had ignored it. Who would send her a package? She had dreams that the package held papers about a bad debt that had turned into a judgement against her. She knew it must be waiting to be dealt with and her mind could not handle one more setback. Then again the size of the package suggested something different entirely. It was a small mystery.
By Crystal Renee Bechler5 years ago in Humans
Curious path
Today is Sunday. An early, 6:30 AM sunny, Spring morning. Up in time for church, breakfast, yard work, house chores and then the weekly journey to see our grandparents. The scent of the sauce still makes my mouth water. Just listen, while it makes its noise, “blub, blub, blub”, perfectly, with vegetables seared just right. An aroma of fresh bread filled the house, to the point when a door was open or if a window was cracked, you could smell it outside. If you are close enough to it to hear it crackle and sing as it cools. Plus, if you are close when they cut it, you may be lucky to catch a corner of the heel! An another amazing afternoon is in store filled with food, family, and frank conversation around the table. Yes, between the recent rumors from the church, news of distant cousins in far away lands, chatter about the neighbors, and a few conversations where they waited for the kids to leave to play. In one families case, they new if these two brothers were within an ear shot, “radar” would hear and ask about it later.
By Victor Rieber5 years ago in Humans
Rose's Journal
Rose’s Journal June 1998 We made it through the first day or so, but man it wasn’t easy. They do stuff crazy over here and we don’t understand anything. We met two girls, Dani and Amanda, when we changed planes in Boston, they are backpacking, too. The four of us are sticking together. The more the merrier, right. My brother Anthony certainly doesn’t mind traveling with two cute girls who aren’t his sister.
By Connie Fleenor5 years ago in Humans
To Whom It May Concern
Simone’s normal routine was to work on her balance by walking on the large rocks that separated the forest from the sandy beach about 30 feet from the water’s edge for about a mile then, after about a mile, return to the cabin by walking on the sand. It was on one of those large rocks that she noticed the little black book. She jumped off the rock, picked it up, then looked around to see if the person who’d left it was still there. It was early morning and the sun wasn’t quite shining brightly on the western shores of Washington state. She was alone as far as her eyes could see.
By Susan Bailey5 years ago in Humans
A Chance
I sat at the end of my bed staring at the little black notebook. This book did not belong to me, or at least it hadn’t started out that way. Once you’ve stolen something, I feel like it becomes your property, right? Not that I steal often, actually, this is the first time I have ever done anything like this. Anyway, that’s beside the point. I first saw this notebook earlier today while walking downtown. I had been looking for the apartment number I was supposed to be delivering to. Being a pizza delivery driver in downtown Chicago, you gotta be careful. I always steer clear of trouble, I know if I mind my own business then others will mind theirs. So why hadn’t I done that today?
By Sydney Blankenship5 years ago in Humans
Tom and Hattie
We had scrambled down to the waterfall's cup with panic twisted tightly around our chests, steam peppering at the sunlight. Hattie was face down and pushing against rock, the sound of a thousand erratic hoofbeats, the basin spitting, boiling, unfinished with her death and then yielding as we peeled her from its custody. Her hair was pasted to her face as if nature had respectfully shrouded her with clay, the sombre folding of eyelids. We tried for an hour to push the blood and air back around inside her body, bagpipe lungs, dog-tired arms, but she had left. I gave my phone number to officials, ignoring their tutting about the idiocy of Instagram bloggers risking their lives for extreme content. It was too late, too soon, too sad.
By Sean Cohen James5 years ago in Humans
Expect the Unexpecting
Prelude There once was a tall man, He did not fit in most cars. He looked down on most all people, although he always treated people how they treated him. His name is Ryan and he is called, "a deity". Being a deity did not change his life one bit. He's worked, He's gone to college, He's done everything to his best capability.
By Jon Makarios5 years ago in Humans
The Book of Names.
It’s always the same. Sitting here, waiting for my plane to board, I mentally check that I have everything on me. Phone, wallet, passport – check. I slip my hand into the inside pocket of my trench-coat, feeling the bulging envelope stacked with two hundred $100 bills. I sit back and close my eyes, breathing deeply. The airport is basically empty, I always fly the latest flight possible. I hate crowded places.
By Jayde Brew5 years ago in Humans
The Black Book
Well, I believe we are done here, my love Terrell Tanden said to his daughter Yara. Just in case someone followed me here, do me a favor and leave out the back in twenty minutes, it’s all been arranged just let Mateo our waiter know when you’re ready. No worries dad I’m expecting some friends for drinks so I’ll be staying for a while. Terrell laughs nervously and gives his daughter a kiss on the forehead as he leaves the restaurant. He just finished having lunch with his 25-year-old daughter Yara, whom he had in college and was still a secret to the world. He replays the conversation with his daughter. I’m trusting you to protect this information for me, I can’t tell you how bad it would be if it were lost or stolen.Terrell then passed Yara a black book wrapped in a plastic bag across the table. Don’t worry dad, Yara assures him, I understand and I promise you I will protect it. Good, you are the only one I can trust right now. He took out his phone and called for his driver to bring the car around. As he walked out Mateo watches one of the most powerful and richest men in the world exit. Mateo now turns his attention to the young woman he left sitting at the table. He notices her putting a black book into her bag. Walking over to the table where she sat alone, Mateo leans down next to Yara and asks if she needs anything else? No thanks, it’s Mateo right Yara asked? Yes, Mateo replied, still leaning over so only Yara could hear him. I’m expecting some friends, can you let me know when they arrive? Sure I can do that for you, said Mateo. When Yara’s friends arrived and were seated at the bar, Mateo informed her they were there. As Yara walked over to join her friends she yelled out, hey bitches order some shots. After six shots and feeling a little tipsy Yara announced to her friends it was time to depart. Why so soon they all wanted to know? Because I’m flying out to meet Jordan in Costa Rica. Well damn, sis one of her friends said let’s do one more shot for Jordan. Ok, ok but after that, I have to go Yara said checking her watch. She turned and saw Mateo standing nearby. Can you get a cab for me, please? Mateo hailed a cab for Yara and watched as she said goodby to her friends. As she walked by and got into the cab Mateo shook his head, No Thank You and No Tip. Yara jumped in the cab, commanding 100 Bala Cynwyd, please. She put her earbuds in and sat back as she prepared for the ride. They hit 76 and everything was going fine till the cab driver slammed on the breaks. Yara’s bag with all its contents went flying throughout the back of the cab. Some dumb ass had cut them off and almost caused an accident. The cab driver, a middle-aged foreigner, began yelling in his native dialect. He checked on Yara to make sure she was ok. When they arrived at the destination the driver waited as Yara picked up her belongings. She tipped the cab an extra twenty for waiting and not rushing her to collect her things. Once Yara was done she went into her apartment and started getting ready for her trip. Bags already packed she called for a car to take her to the airport. Checking
By Tony Hannah-Dennis5 years ago in Humans
