You see, it's like this: I haven't been in Dallas for 7 years, but I hadn't been in San Antonio for thirty seven years. I called my forever friend, Angelina, and told her I'd be in San Antonio around lunchtime. "Oh, please take lots of pictures!! That Riverwalk area looks great, that whole city looks great! That looks like a place I'd like to spend a long weekend, just looking around!" "OK, I'll take pix. To be honest with you, Riverwalk wasn't all that the last time I saw it..." "When was that?" "1971." "It's that old?!" "Yes. I spent a week's vacation there with a childhood friend whose husband was with the military in Viet Nam at that time." "Oh, boy the years sure pass fast, don't they?" Angelina is 15 years younger than I am, but I've learned a lot from her in the twenty years of our friendship. She's an old soul with an indomitable spirit and a husband who deserves her. "Oh, they pass fast all right. I remember the first time a bag boy at the grocery store called me 'Ma'am'. I was sooo insulted!" "Don't you just hate that?", Angie responded. "Just wait." I continued. "It gets worse." "What do you mean?" "Wait until one day someone calls you 'young lady'. That really stings!" "Why? That sounds nice to me!" "Ah, huh. Look around the room at that moment and you'll see that you're the oldest person there and 'young lady' doesn't sound quite so nice.....a bit patronizing, in fact." Angie's big laugh pealed out over the miles. "I see now." Got off 10 at the Downtown exit and headed for Riverwalk and the Alamo. I figured I'd be in and out in an hour and back on the road. Three and a half hours later I headed west again with a new perspective. I went to San Antonio only because I'd been there once and since I had to pass through it, I'd take a quick look and get a little exercise. I parked and opened the van door. The warm, smokey scent of burning hardwood...maybe mesquite...wrapped itself around me, followed quickly by roasting meat...Texas BBQ! That scent was divine and I followed it down the parking garage and into the street...a street alive with the hustle and bustle of a city fun of life, tourists, and residents out for lunch on a perfect summer's day in February. Shouts of children's laughter; friendly banter on the corners; bright, happy colors everywhere! I hardly recognized Riverwalk. While I was growing up, so was it! Originally the planners hoped that Riverwalk would revitalize downtown while drawing tourists off the interstate. I hope those people lived to see that promise blossom. San Antonio has become something to seek out, to go out of your way for, to revel in. I left Riverwalk and followed the street signs to the attractions, signs that are better and clearer than most cities give you. How far was the Alamo? An elderly woman, looking pensive, was sitting on a bench under a tree. I asked her if she lived in San Antonio. "Oh, yes, I live in San Antonio." She responded with a strong British accent. "Am I far from the Alamo?" She gave me directions. Her hair was casually dressed and stark white, her skin pale, her blue eyes faded with the years. But when she smiled at me I could see that she was one of those fortunate souls who carry springtime within themselves. "I felt so ill suddenly. I looked at the sky and it made me dizzy. I looked down at the water and I felt queasy." "Do you mind if I sit next to you?" She seemed like someone I would want to know. "Oh, please sit next to me!" She scooted over to make room. "My son has gone to get the car. I was born in England. I came here in 1957." "Where in England are you from?" "Newcastle." "Newcastle? I don't think I know where it is." She nodded. I guess few Americans know where it is. "It's on the border of Scotland." "Oh, I should have known that. I'm Scottish. Wait," I decided to tease her a bit. "Wasn't William Wallace....." Her eyes twinkled, "Yes." "When I came here to America, I fell in love with it. It's a wonderful country. A wonderful country. And would you believe I didn't know there was an America!! I was taught all about China, Africa, Canada....but they didn't teach us anything about America! I think that's outrageous, don't you?" I laughed. "I think they were still pouting over the war we won." "Yes, yes, I think so too! Have you been to St. Joseph's Cathedral?" "No. What is the significance of St. Joseph's?" "Well, it's very significant to me. I'm a Catholic." "Are you now, me too." "So you should see it then." More directions. "It was a German parish. During WWII the Americans didn't like the Germans much, so the parish was closed for a few years. But now it's open and it's so beautiful! It's a little church." "I'll be sure to look for it then." "You've seen Riverwalk?" "I looked there first.It sure has changed." "Yes, when I came here in 1957, there were only a lot of old white shacks downtown. See how beautiful it is now?!" "Yes, it's a lovely city now." "The new Pope is going to make the priests learn to say Mass in Latin again!", she nodded with the fervor of conviction. "Yes, I still know all the words. It may take 25 years, but I'll be ready, yes I will!" I smiled. She'd be about 110 then. "They are lengthening Riverwalk, did you know?" "No, I hadn't heard that. Tell me more!" "They're starting soon and they are lengthening it ten more miles! It will take 5 years. It will stretch all the way up to Brackenridge Park!" "How exciting! It's as exciting a city as New Orleans once was, eh?" "Louisiana. I don't like Louisiana! It's decrepit!" Her pale eyes widened and her lips pursed. I was about to ask her name when a car braked sharply in the street next to us. "It's my son!" We rose simultaneously to say goodbye and like two old friends we kissed cheeks and then hugged. There is an etiquette to hugging. Women know it well. Men, not so much. You move toward one another at a certain pace, you embrace with split second timing, then pull apart. I pulled back. She didn't. She pulled me closer to her and held me tightly, whispering in my ear, "God love you!" I began to walk away and impulsively turned around to take one last look. The English rose and the Scottish tomboy. Her eyes danced and her smile widened as she waved. A wise person once said, "Life is what happens to you while you're making plans." I will never see that old woman again, but she gave me something to keep. Let that be a lesson to you, if you haven't been there in almost 40 years, you've never been there at all.
No comments:
Post a Comment