..the otherside..

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It’s been two month I arrived home from Bali. Time goes fast when you’re busy or distracted. I have considered and make decision to relocate to Florida. I will rent out my property. It felt better when I think about it. Moving south to have more warm weather, and it is still in the same country, visiting my families will not be that difficult, comparing to when I move to Bali. I have also considered to move there, realizing that it would be more difficult for me to see my family or just paying a visit to where I used to work and have conversation with my ex-colleagues. It was a naive part of me, to actually think to move to a country where I know not much about.
I somehow miss him though, missing how we enjoy each other companion, how we always awake together and spent an hour or so to lay in bed, enjoy missing him when he is off to work, enjoy every weekend we spent our time on the beach.
The whole two month, I haven’t heard anything from him. Hopefully he is alright. The last email I sent was on the day before my departure leaving the island. Sometime I think I was being harsh to him when I re-read my email. But it must be done. Otherwise he will be waiting for me, while me not knowing when I can return to visit him. It would not be fair to him, waiting with no date being set. I would not do that to him.
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After my morning coffee, I decide to walk to the beach, two or three time a week activity. Always enjoying a morning or late noon beach walk. Sometime when my neighbor saw me walking toward the beach, they also accompany me, and I don’t mind to have a companion while walking. It is a free activity and healthy as well. I know for me to lose weight it would take a lot harder workout, and walking is just won’t cut it. But better than doing nothing at home.
“..Lee! how are you?..” I look at the voice come from. She walk toward me.
“..hi Sharon, I’m good thank you, and yourself?..”
“..I’m good thank you, I haven’t seen you in a while, how’s your brother doing?..”
“..yes, it’s been sometime we haven’t catch up. He is ok, we were supposed to have family dinner at his place this weekend. How’s Don and the kids?..” Sharon is the wife of a colleague of mine. They live like 2 miles away from where I live. Don is a few years younger than I am, we work together for more than 15 years.
“..Don is at work, he have a morning shift today, the kids is at school, that’s why I have the time to walk to the beach..” she explain. “..hows the retirement life doing for you? still enjoying it?..”
“..can’t complain, at first I need an adjustment, from day today working to not having any activities at all. But I can manage. Owh, I plan to relocate to Florida next month. Found an apartment near the beach as well there, and it is more warmer..”
“..Florida eh? Sounds good. And warmer indeed. Sounds like retirement is doing you very good..” Hrmmm, I suppose so. Isn’t the purpose of working hard when we were younger, to have a quiet life and being happy on our retirement age? Otherwise peoples will do anything as they please when they were younger, and not thinking about the older age. Although I know several peoples who are that way. “..anyway, I have to take off now, just saying a quick ‘hi’ to you, I have to pick up the kids in two hours..”
“..ok Sharon, have a good day, and greeting to Don when he is home will you?..”
“..thanks, will pass him your greetings, you should visit sometime when Don is free..”
“..will do. Bye Sharon..” Sharon left. She is walking to the gang to get out from the beach areas. She and Don is always been friendly to me, the fact that Don and I used to work together, sometime they invite me when they have a barbeque in their house or something.
I continue to walk further, some peoples were sitting looking at the far end of the sea, and some were playing with the water, a father that play with the daughter by the waterside, while the mother is reading a book, sitting on the sand.
The phone is blinking, looks like someone calling while I was out. Hopefully they left messages for me to know who is calling. I rush to the bathroom to wash my sandy feet, and then going to the kitchen to make some breakfast.
“..hi Bro, pick up! Where are you? Anyway, you coming here in the weekend aren’t you? Let me know..” it was my brother. As usual, he know I always come to his house when there are family dinner or barbeque. Always good to spend some time with them.
..
Took me 30 minute drive to get to my brother house, and I already drive around before going to his place. We live in the small island in the east of Boston. Driving around is just less than an hour or so. We are a family who love water, that’s why we move here. Easier access to get to the beach. He live more to the inside of the island, less than 10 minutes’ drive to the beach. His front yard were green with grass and some tree, the house is a slight bigger than mine since he is living with his kids too. The neighbors are also having the same kind of concept of greeneries yard. Big tree were along the way on the side street, making the areas looks even greener and cooler.
“..so, have you decide when will you move to Florida?..” as usual, my brother always ask without asking how am I doing first. I guess that, he saw me there, he assume that I am ok. So the question is always to where he wanted to know something first.
“..next week I plan to check out few apartments there, maybe next month if the feeling is right, then I will move..”
“..why Florida again? Can I join to check out the apartment? You drive there, aren’t you?..”
“..it’s warmer, the same reason as I told you before. Or would you prefer me to move to Indonesia instead? You sure you want to join next week? Your wife is ok with that? I was planning to fly there, but if you want to join, sure we can drive there together. It should be fun..” I reason and explain to him. He kept asking the same question. ‘Why Forida?’ isn’t it obvious? I want to live in a warmer areas. In here is ok in the summer, but when the winter is coming, the cold are rather unpleasant to me. And not much I can’t do in the winter either. Exploring a new city like Florida or the neighbor cities sounds a whole lot better.
“..really? Coming with that again? Indonesia?..” He disagree for me to relocate to Florida, and Indonesia sounds a lot further than what the current is. “..i’m sure she will be alright, she knows that I am going with you to check out on the new place you were about to live. Why would she not be ok with that?..”
“..she is you wife, you know her better, but you better talk to her first. If she is ok with it, we can drive there. It will be like an old time, when we drive around back in the old days..” The thought of driving with my brother felt good. It would be fun. He went to the kitchen. Leaving me alone in the living room. I switch the Television on looking on something interesting to watch. The replay of the football are playing. I put the remote on the table.
“..she say it’s OK, so we drive next week to Florida. Sounds good eh?..” he come out from the kitchen screaming at me with a smile on his face. He looks so happy. Maybe this was his first long drive after the last time we drive around in the 90’s.
“..that sounds good indeed!..” He sat on the couch and his eyes were on TV immediately when he saw the game is replaying. “..Thank you Mayra!..” I scream to the Kitchen. Where my sister in law is preparing food for our dinner.
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