Friday morning, my mind was like the first scene in “Finding Nemo” as Marlin joyously 
uttered the first words in the movie: “Today’s the day!!” His plane was to arrive at 2:30 and I could not wait. The good news was that I was seeing a client for the first time at the high school (I miss working in high schools) and then I’d be going to Juvie. Because of working more time at Juvie that week than anticipated, I left early and headed to the clinic to get some paperwork finished and then…off to the blessed airport!! Terminal B was a whole new experience for me, and thus, with yellow rose in hand, I quickly scampered to the train exit to await him. With my heart pounding heavily, I decided leaning against the wall was the better option, as I kept seeing figures that could be him. I would tense my body in preparation of running into his arms, only to discover that nope, she or he was not Derek. In all of this, I missed him exiting and managed to run up behind him, hugging him with all my soul. <semi make-out scene in airport. It’s ok, though…I saw many people smiling.>
The night was spent with many adolescent girls, as Maggie was having her belated slumber party. 9 girls and somewhere in all this, Derek and I managed to enjoy every moment, waiting for pizza at a place to bring home 4 larges then heading out to find a new microwave when mine shorted-out. I ended up with a microwave big enough to re-heat Minnesota in, but it carries with it memories of a very committed Home Depot employee.
The next day, Derek and I headed to San Francisco for what is arguably the Greatest 
Weekend I have Ever Experienced. After arriving at a lovely motel in the Sunset District, a couple of blocks from the beach, the first stop was Haight Ashbury via Uber. It is here where I received a desperate phone call from a son I have and a man I was once married to; a time during which father-son conflicts will escalate as both react to one another. Adolescent years are by far among the most difficult we face in life, yet despite being decades beyond them, it is all to easy to quickly revert to these adolescent behaviors. Really, our inner teenager is always inside us. I understand this all too well as this same child has been my button-pusher since he was a small child. Man, am I glad I got some learnin’ in me to better engage with such behaviors.
After a fantastic breakfast-ish meal, Sunday was the day I needed to show Derek all of San Francisco as we had to leave that evening to be home. The day started in China Town, moved to North Beach(Cafe Trieste!), and ended up at Fisherman’s Wharf, where we ended up taking the Golden Gate Bridge home. This was a Sophie’s Choice kind of day for me, because really, my favorite parts are not in any of these places, yet these areas are crucial to getting that first bite of The City. I couldn’t have ever shown him the Mission District in a few hours, or Dolores Park, or Bakers Beach…those places have to be saved for next time. Besides, being next to this man, I could have been sitting in a K-Mart parking lot, for all I cared.
Monday, after driving children to school, we headed to Placerville to Sweetie Pie’s (of course) for a breakfast/lunch (I can’t NOT get the enchilada casserole here), right back to school to get said-kids after, then right back to that goddamn airport. I have a love/hate relationship with these places: I love them the first visit, then curse every inch of them for the second. 8 years…longer even, that I have been waiting for this man and I am so grateful to have found him (23 years ago, but hey), so I will gladly endure some negative airport time for a life time with my favorite mammal.
Pictures: Our room; China Town; Cafe Trieste and my favorite human; San Francisco at sunset
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