I am a visitor in my country.
I walk the wide, sterile streets and breathe the hot, sterile air and know that body and soul are two distinct things because I am here but I am there. I can't cross the roads because there's too much order and too many laws. I can't pick my produce because I know inside that big beautiful shell is a genetically engineered lack of flavor. I want my freshly squeezed orange juice and lemonade made from fruits that were grown a few miles from where they're sold. I want my bright Mediterranean sunshine, not this oddly weak light that trickles from the Washington sky. (When it's not raining.)
What is this rush? Why are the people of this city in such a hurry? Where are the people who stop to smell the acacia, the agalinis, and the scarlet pimpernel along the way? Where are those who take the time to appreciate the clean, clean air, who appreciate breathing?
I keep asking myself what time is it there? What are they doing? What is he doing?
And now - a ring. It's funny how a phone call can make you so happy. Just five minutes of Lebanon, five minutes of the voice of my friend, and now I am smiling.
I ordered a dart board today - it should be here in 3-6 business days. I hope it's three. I might enter a tournament held on Labor Day weekend that I discovered when I found the Washington Area Darts Association website. The prize is $10,000. If I practice all summer, I'm sure I could compete. What you see here is a game I won by hitting three bullseyes on the last shot to win the game by two points. The score was 121 to 119 (I had 121) but Amigo had closed his bulls and only needed to hit one to win. I needed to hit three, and I did. I gave Amigo my Reds t-shirt beer coolie. I brought it to the pub once because the condensation from the beer was making it difficult to play darts and I knew he'd get a kick out of it. So there is at least one Cincinnati Reds item in Lebanon, and he's actually using it.
I'd love to be there right now, drinking Almaza and talking about the wobbly, wobbly world.
At least I have baseball. And this weekend, there will be lots and lots of baseball. The Cincinnati Reds will take on the Washington Nationals. Then on Sunday after the game I get to see the Cincinnati band The National play in Washington.
