There but for fortune.

November 18, Ft Myers.

As my neighbor, Connie, was driving us to the farmer's market in downtown Ft Myers we came upon an old homeless man crossing a six-lane highway with a walker, one painstaking step at a time. We stopped and hoped others would do the same, then Connie drove around to come back and check on him, to see that he had made it safely to the other side, and he finally did, slowly, seemingly oblivious of the danger he was in every step of the way - talking with Connie about being grateful, reminded of the Joan Baez song, There but for Fortune, and I am grateful, for there but for fortune go I, risking my life for crossing the street, alone in the world, muttering to myself, adrift.
Reminded never to pass judgment, for there go I, but for the grace of my life - yet.

Sand.

November 14, Ft Myers.

The presents.

November 14, Ft Myers.

Ft Myers Beach.

November 14, Ft Myers.

Dylan is six.

November 14, Ft Myers.

We celebrated Dylan's birthday again today.
We rented a car and went to the beach, better late than never. We drove back from the beach full of sand and sun and went to an arcade gallery. We came out full of noise and fun and went home to another cake and candles, and the presents, the presents, at last.
Dylan had a great time, and I filled my memory with a moment of joy, precious, in the midst of what has been a rather difficult time, full of anxiety over insignificant thing and momentous clouds, car problems bogging us down, Fridman's imminent departure leaving me alone here with the kids for a full month, Nicolas worrying me as he grows up, or fails to.

At the fair.

November 6, Tallahassee.

Six.

November 6, Tallahassee.

The Anastasini Circus (Rebecca.)

November 6, Tallahassee, Florida.

One more day.

November 6, Tallahassee, Florida.

Off, after all, after one more day, a day in Hugo, for Dylan, to say goodbye to his friend Nathan, and play, for a ceviche with Marcos, for a day in my old quinta. Off, but not there quite yet, stopping in Tallahassee for one more day of circus, at the fair where Rebecca and the Poemas are working with the Anastasi family show. We decide to throw Dylan a surprise birthday party with his other friends, and go to the fair after the show.
One more day of circus before the winter.
A day brimming with fun, and nostalgia already.

Hugo.

November 5, Hugo.

Sandro's house.

November 3, Dallas.

Sandro's house.

November 3, Dallas.

The old Ford truck.

November 3, Dallas.

Diesel.

November 3, Dallas.

Days in Dallas.

November 3, Dallas.

Days go by, unchanged, not my house and too much TV for the kids, nowhere to go with Fridman off to here or there with the car, helping Castro change the engine on my old Ford truck. Days go by and still not hitting the road, and maybe there is the itch, the restlessness, the sleepless nights wondering what to do with no new job in sight.

Alain.

October 24, , Dallas.

Seeing Sheyla again after so much time has passed, married now with Alain, and Friedman, Nicolas' natural match as soon as they meet, playing, best friends, and they're inseparable, long lost cousins, Dylan the loner for once.