Okay...I'm actually already back. How back? Well, as I rolled down Frankford this afternoon on my way to the Rocket Cat, I saw a driver throw an empty RC Cola can from his car window. His female passenger followed suit with an empty McDonald's bag. I made an outraged face at them and then yelled something unintelligible. No one seemed to care/notice. Yes, I have returned to Philly.
It is hot. Or at least, a lot warmer than Portland was during my vacation.
Maybe I was just delirious with exhaustion when my plane landed at midnight last night, but it seemed mind-boggling that in just a few (well, 9) hours I could go from one reality (scenic Portland, chock-full of trees, beautiful people, and easily-obtained vegan meals) to a completely different time/place (Philadelphia, muggy and smelling like fish last night). Then again, further examination revealed that I had taken two buses, one Max train, and two airplanes to reach my destination. So maybe it wasn't such a simple journey...
We flew through a thunderstorm as Philadelphia grew closer. First, the lightning was below the plane, looking like rhythmic explosions. I swear I could see a pattern in the little bursts of fire! Next, the plane descended through the dense black clouds. I couldn't see a thing outside the window...almost like a weird limbo state. This part of the trip was bumpy (to say the least). Then the storm was above us, and my window was being pelted with tiny hail.
I realized that I have forgotten everything I learned in school about the science of storms. I am glad about this, because I like the idea of weather as an enigmatic force, beyond any human's control. Understanding the mechanics of it would make it less grandiose.
I feel asleep last night in my own bed, surrounded by cats, wondering how birds feel about airplanes.
P.S. Art by Clare Grill.
No comments:
Post a Comment