(Boston, Mass.) —Today was filled with such luscious luck that I’m smiling and biting my lip, despite the fact I’m tired, a bit sick and surrounded by hundreds of strangers wearing Celtics hats and jerseys. As I’m on a commuter train between Boston and Salem, I only have a few minutes of internet to convey all that I’m feeling, and so I know my words are going to pale in comparison to my emotions. But isn’t that always the frustration?
I was only able to spend one day in Boston, but it felt full of importance somehow. I still can’t get over how completely a place warms once you know someone it in. Here, it was Jerrie, my sweet, Russian friend from Colorado. She took me through an old cemetery, the Italian section of town and the Holocaust memorial. While this might sound disjointed, it wasn’t. I felt immersed in Boston and its specific brand of loud, blunt yet friendly people. I liked the fact that so many Bostonians had a Sox hat, thick accent and complete disregard for jaywalking laws. I love being somewhere where everyone is on the same page, even if I’m not reading along with them. It somehow feels secure. Just as in Toronto, Portland (Maine) and Québec City, I would have been content to simply watch all these people pass me on the street for hours. The sightseeing was just a bonus.
This is the beauty of cities to me. All day, I didn’t lapse into being in my head. I was simply wide-eyed, watching all that was around me. Jerrie and I did a lot of talking as well, but never did it feel overly cerebral. I felt incredibly present, and that made me happy.
Well, we’re pulling into the station sooner than I can spell check this thing. I have so much more I want to convey but, ah, that’s nothing new. I’ll write more (including my conclusion to my Maine story) quite soon, and I’ll continue with this train of thought, too. Until then, thank you Eric, Lynn and Jerrie. Thank you for your kindness. To everyone else, I’ll explain more in the near future.
Onward to Pennsylvania. Oh, I’ll explain more about that later, too.
There are jaywalking laws?? If you liked Boston for that, you’ll love Providence
It was so great to see you. I wish you good luck on the trip. And as for me, I will just continue dreaming that one day I could follow you anywhere the road leads.
Hi, You came to my restaurant over the summer on Martha’s Vineyard and I had lost the piece of paper where you wrote down your blog info, but I just now found it! How come there aren’t any Vineyard pics?! Hope your travels are going well, good luck!