For better or for worse, you can be the judge, I will be posting some older material over the next few weeks – pieces written some time ago but never posted.
Because this involves importing existing files, there may be formatting issues. Dates may not be precise; locations may be unclear.
Many of the pieces were written in the Southwest; some during trips to South Africa; others in places I have forgotten. All are fragments from the past.
See you along the Trail.
Filed under Travel
Every now and then it becomes necessary to backtrack on the Trail. We move ahead only by moving back.
Sometimes this is because we are lost. Sometimes it is because we forgot something. Sometimes it is to correct something.
I noticed that a number of my posts had picked up really odd labels. What was worse, when adding new labels they autofilled and expanded the problem.
So this morning, I backtracked. I cleaned them up, deleted them.
In the process, I changed the order of my posts. Strange. But that sort of thing happens when one has no idea what one is truly doing.
If you want to see my most recent posts – which come from the experience of the International Ecumenical Peace Convocation in Jamaica – check out this link: http://graybeardtrail.blogspot.com/search/label/Jamaica.
On Twitter, you can check #iepc for posts about the convocation. I tweet as @wmkoenig personally and as @PresbyUN for work.
See you along the Trail.
Filed under Travel
The complimentary head set really isn’t that sweet of a deal when you sit in the row where the monitors don’t work.
For a good time, nothing quite beats riding for 3.5 hours with a strange dude’s elbow embedded in your rib cage.
Of course he may well be thinking that it is truly a joy and delight to sit by a dude whose shirt smells like it has been used to rub down the winner of the Kentucky Derby.
They actually are charging for pillows and blankets on this flight. I have heard of such, but this is the first time I have seen it.
Duh, should have read the fine print. It’s a “never-been slept on pillow” and a blanket that’s “mine, just mine.” If only I had seen that sooner – I have been experiencing such an overwhelming desire to own a miniature pillow.
One flight attendant wore rubber gloves to stow our bags and no gloves to pass out customs forms. Another flight attendant did the exact opposite. What’s the deal with that.
I have seen things on this airplane that I have had no desire to see. Ever. There really should be fashion police for those people who wear too few clothes.
See you along the Trail.
25 May 2011
KIN – JFK
Filed under Travel
“They are for my wife.”
My lack of languages other haunts me when I travel. Other people know multiple languages. I carry only English – and that not well – plus some Sesame Street Spanish. A smattering of high school French, limited in vocabulary, atrocious in pronunciation, travels with me.
“They are for my wife.”
Despite my language limits I do remember enough French to know that is what he said.
We were on the number 5 bus headed from Grand-Sacconex to the Church of Scotland in Geneva.
He, well he must have been going to see his wife.
Tufts of white-gray hair poked out from beneath his gray hat. He wore a gray-checked suit. The bright flowers wrapped in tissue and cellophane and clutched tightly in his age-spotted left hand offered a striking contrast to the pervasive grayness.
He slid across the bench to sit by the window and with a gesture of his free hand offered the vacated seat beside him. “Merci,” I said as I declined. He shrugged and turned to look out the window, lost in thought.
A woman entered at the next stop and took the seat. She spoke, complimenting the beauty of the flowers, or so I presume because of his answer.
He did not make eye contact as he responded with a simple phrase that I could understand. “They are for my wife.”
His seat-mate tried to make conversation with him. He replied in monosyllables, his gaze remained fixed outside the bus although it was clear he looked not to see but to retreat, remember, reflect.
At one point she asked me a question. Having no idea what she had asked, I turned to those dim recesses where reside what remains of four years of French reside to find the appropriate response. “Je ne sais pas.” Feelings of incompetence and arrogance washing over me, I looked away.
When she left the bus, a couple stops later, he did not repeat his offer of the seat, but continued to stare out the window.
Then I saw it. In the corner of his right eye. A tear. One solitary tear.
At that moment, the bus pulled to a stop across from a medical facility and he began to move, struggling to cross the bench and keep his grip on the flowers. I moved to offer to hold them, but saw the tear again and thought better. I took his elbow.
He stood up, straightened his shoulders, and exited the bus.
And I was left to wonder about the memories, the pain, the grief, the love contained in that one tear.
See you along the Trail.
Geneva
Bus 5
8 May 2011
Mother’s Day
Filed under Travel
Into darkness the plane sails,
proud ship of the air,
passing o’er ocean depths
where rest once proud sea-going vessels,
both great and small
now skeletons rusting, rotting.
In the darkness of the cabin
they sit in silence,
the comfortable silence of
computer chosen seatmates.
She shifts
as exhaustion grips her;
sleep seeking to claim her,
fitfully shifts again.
Her head finds his shoulder,
pauses,
then leans in harder without knowing.
His turn to shift,
but not too far –
darkness, gratefully,
masks deep discomfort.
Swiss International Air Lines
Flight 23
JFK-GVA
6-7 May 2011
Filed under Travel
Flew back to NYC (Shire East) from Louisville (Shire West) late this evening after a day of meetings.
The meetings went well. I watched Whiteout upon returning. An OK escape, but nothing profound. It seems to winding down, I will see if I figured it out. Not sure I have been paying enough attention to be sure about my suspicions.
Tomorrow is the interfaith prayer service for Sudan. There are signs of hope . . . may they come true.
See you along the Trail.
That’s what my friend and colleague Petero told me when he learned I was returning to Louisville this afternoon. Of course he has travel scheduled to Zambia, Uganda, Tanzania, and several other countries in February. He works for the Episcopal Church and holds their Africa desk.
The morning began with a visit to the office by a group from Eckerd College. They were in NYC for a class on the United Nations. They made their first stop the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations. I had the privilege to talk to them about our ministry and to respond to questions. It was great fun!
After meeting with the group, it was discovered that the PC(USA) email system was done – so instead of email, the phone was necessary to make arrangements for Friday’s prayer service on Sudan. Fascinating to realize how much a part of life email is.
Then headed to LGA. The security line was about as long as I have ever seen – but it moved quickly and people were very patient. The flights went well – picked up the rental car and made it back to the Shire. Renovations have continued in preparation for selling the condo.
A limited number of dvds remain at the Shire – that was probably poor planning since the Shire on the Hudson has cable and the Roku box – should have left more to have more variety. Watched Amazing Grace.
Tomorrow I travel back to the Shire on the Hudson.
See you along the Trail.
A travel day – often the most challenging – so easy to stop into Hudson News and pick up candy or nuts (not bad in themselves but a problem when a couple of bags are consumed at the same time).
A travel day – made even more challenging by a variety of frustrations – the plane was late and got later as the day went on – and the internet connection in BWI was pretty week.
A travel day – an emotional day, leaving family behind, realizing that I don’t really have a place to call home in the sense of a place where there is family/community, experiencing the realities of trying to live in three places.
A travel day – on which overeating did not occur, indeed eating was appropriate – only 6,700 steps but that is a few more than expected.
A travel day – the first day – more to follow.
See you along the Trail.
September 8
Travel day. Arrived at the Shire in the middle of the afternoon. Went to the gym. 12,395 steps.
September 9
Travel day. Went to Stony Point for the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship’s National Committee meeting. Walked around Stony Point. 11,841 steps.
September 10
At Stony Point. Walked around at Stony Point. 11,612.
September 11
Travel day. Most walking took place in the Charlotte Airport. It is actually a pretty good place for that. 10,251 steps.
September 12
Back at the Shire. Football started! Watched Steelers at Buffalo Wild Wings. Overate. But Steelers won. Made it to the gym. 10, 318 steps.
September 13
In the office for the first day in a long time. Went to gym – watched a bit of Ravens-Jets game. 12,749 steps.
Hope to get back to posting more regularly.
See you along the Trail.
Finally saw a rattlesnake – of course it was behind glass and in the Downtown Aquarium in Denver, but it was a rattlesnake.
Started the day on the treadmill with The Last of the Mohicans. Good stuff. I saw the last of the movie. Daniel Day-Lewis was amazing as always. I once walked a short distance with Russell Means during a demonstration in Cleveland. He’s a big guy.
First stop for the day was the Downtown Aquarium. Since we planned to go to the Colorado Rockies baseball game, we parked near the stadium and walked to the aquarium. Had lunch, checked out the critters. Noticed a distinct lack of octopi. Hmmm.
Great night for baseball – a well played game. Lots of fun. $1 hot dog. Baseball should show up on my to-do list more often.
All of that was great, but the big news is that the step count for the day was 21,294. That’s right. Over 20,000. That is the second time that happened. Once last summer at Ghost Ranch, the count exceeded the 20k level. So I don’t know if this is a record or not. But it is the highest in over a year. And it is pretty darn good. I also managed to eat well.
Tomorrow marks the end of the vacation and the return to the Shire. Ah well. Until the next one.
See you along the Trail.
Along the Graybeard Trail 