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Something exotic by Alexander Mikhaylov 2008-03-05 09:25:56 |
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We flew to Madrid from Stockholm in an early morning In Stockholm, it was cold but in Madrid it got better Wading through Spanish crowd, killing a few hours Before our next flight to Guayaquil, Ecuador We thrown our warm clothes – coats, sweaters and heavy shoes - in a garbage bin Took some pictures, headed back to airport It was 31 of December, a less that an hour before a New Year The plane was packed with Ecuadorians returning from Spain It did not feel very festive to be Strapped to airplane seat Even though a stewardess kept announcing ‘Five minutes are left till the year 2008! Vivat! Three minutes left till the year 2008! Vivat!’ It was exactly five minutes past midnight when we Took off. I had never watched fireworks from high above Now I did. They reminded me of So many red flowers Planted into a grid of city lights People were shaking hands with their neighbors Saying something in Spanish While the plane gained an altitude Too bad, there was no Champaign Luckily, We bought the bottle of whiskey in duty free store so Exactly at twelve, we took a good sip Then another Soon after that, I fell asleep. I was not Particularly eager to get drunk but It rather was an act of cowardice. (No matter How often I travel by air, I am still afraid Of planes My wife says that I must had been A military pilot in my previous incarnation Who died a violent death) Maybe she is right. Two days later Sitting on a terrace of a three story family house Drinking beer, smoking Gazing over the railing on a street below Savoring A bit of loneliness, a bit of sadness Like drops of the rain (And it is rainy season here so There is plenty of it) I guess it is a cultural shock Everything looks weird On the other hand I do not believe anymore that so called exotic countries Truly exist Even here, in Ecuador, everything appears Painfully mundane Cracks on pavement, people drive like crazy Drinking with a guy who seem to own only two pairs of pants And one pair of shoes And who lives with his family, mom and dad, and younger sister In a house without running water and with a roof, full of holes Tiny lizards, crawling up and down the wall ‘Hey man, don’t these lizards bother you?’ ‘Oh no, it is all right. They keep away mosquitoes.’ It does not strike me as anything unusual Although as gringos, we stay in different place Perhaps I am getting cynical but I guess that an exotic flair is still there Mango falls from a mango tree And smashes on a ground with a wet ‘plop!’ Right outside of our house ‘Hey look! Look! A five euros worth of mango Just fell on my head. How about that?’ My wife squeaks
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