It has been a year since I left the boat in New Zealand and returned to the Unites States. In contrast to prior years, during the past year I have exchanged the threat of being in close proximity to hurricanes to being relatively close to rampant fires. Instead of haggling with natives for disturbingly inexpensive fruits and vegetables, I’ve found myself lining up with other yuppies to pay inflated prices for whatever is in season. And instead of contorting my body and spewing a stream of curses while working on my uncooperative diesel engine, I have spent the past year silently toiling away in a cramped cubicle. Despite the differences, much has remained the same. I am still enjoying a temperate climate that allows me to wear shorts and sandals more or less year-round. I still do not have a television or microwave and remain woefully out of touch with pop culture. And I continue to yearn for adventure, thirst for opportunities to learn, and plot future travels.
One of the reasons for returning to the U.S. was to be closer to friends and family. Never mind that I promptly moved to the opposite side of the country from most of my friends and that my parents quickly fled to Italy. Despite the annoying time difference, California is still closer to both the East Coast and Italy than New Zealand. Shamefully, I have not been diligent about visiting friends and the last time that I saw many of my friends from college was nearly a year ago when we celebrated New Years’ in Nashville. Needless to say, a trip back east was long overdue.
Seizing on the opportunity to travel to Washington D.C. to help my friend Tom King celebrate his 30th birthday, I hopped a red-eye flight from LAX and, roughly five hours later, I found myself surrounded by colorful fall foliage. Acclimatizing to the invigorating autumn chill, TK picked me up at the airport on Saturday morning as a light drizzle reminded me that some parts of the country do receive rain. We drove through the winding country roads and admired the dazzling color of the leaves, reminiscent of the wonderful seasons that I remember from New England.
After a quick stop-off in the quaint downtown of New Market, Maryland to load up on coffee and bagels, we proceeded to the home of TK’s girlfriend, Garnsey. Once there, we spent several enjoyable hours playing with their adorable daughter, Ellie. Following an excellent brunch, the happy group headed to D.C., where we met up with my former roommate, Ryan Learmouth, and his girlfriend, Holly, at the National Museum. Strolling through the art exhibits, we caught up on the latest news and I was pleased to find that my friends and I were able to get along as though I had been living nearby since college.
Having moved to the Dupont Circle neighborhood, TK went to get a haircut and Garnsey did some shopping, leaving me to watch Ellie. The tiny cute dogs that are prevalent in L.A. have nothing on a cute baby when it comes to attracting women. Within minutes, women were approached me to comment on Ellie. I made sure to casually display my left hand in the hopes that they would take notice of my bare ring finger. Once the group reunited, I made several aggressive offers to purchase Ellie, but it seems that the ultimate accessory will not come cheap. Negotiations temporarily stalled, we feasted on a terrific dinner at a Malaysian restaurant where we sipped fine Tiger beers.
On Saturday night, we moved the party to Ellicott City, Maryland, where we met up with Ryan and Holly, along with another college friend, Ryan Waggoner, and his wife, Melissa. Once the Red Sox moved within a game of winning the World Series, the group drove back to Ryan Waggoner’s home in Baltimore.
On Sunday morning, Ryan Learmouth and Holly drove me to their home in Bethesda, Maryland. After watching some football games on TV, we visited the Botanical Gardens and then joined up with a large group of about 15 people who met at a trendy D.C. restaurant to celebrate TK’s birthday. Another wonderful meal and entertaining conversation ensued, followed by the Red Sox completing the sweep to win the World Series. Four years ago, Brian and I celebrated the Red Sox last World Series victory with an extra ration of chocolate chip cookies as we listened to a scratchy single-sideband radio on our way from Cape Cod to Bermuda. This time, I again enjoyed a wholesome celebration by indulging in some chocolate chip cookies.
On Monday morning, Ryan and I completed a scenic hike along the Potomac River and I savored my last few hours of East Coast autumn. Boarding my flight back to L.A. on Monday afternoon, I felt a mix of nostalgia, sadness, and happiness. Nostalgia for the brilliant colors of autumn, the cool chill of the air, and the phenomenal light that illuminates my favorite season. Sadness that I was leaving my friends and that I have been able to see them so infrequently. And happiness that I am so fortunate as to have such a good group of friends who, even after years of living apart and leading completely separate lives, are able to pick up right where we left off. Although I am unable to enjoy a full season of autumn on the East Coast, I am comforted to know that I have such an amusing, interesting, and loyal group of friends only a short flight away.