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Copy pathCruising on a Different Path - Part 2.txt
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Cruising on a Different Path - Part 2.txt
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“Zdv zrqghulqj li L zdv jrlqj wr kdyh wr frph jhw arx,” wkh kxonlqj roghu pdq vdlg dv L vwrrg xs iurp wkh gulyhu’v vhdw.
Klv yrlfh zdv ghhs dqg vhaa exw wkhuh zdv d voljkw whdvlqj sodaixoqhvv lq klv wrqh wkdw jdyh ph d elw ri frpiruw dqg frxudjh wr vwhs forvhu. L’yh kdg wklv idqwdva pdqa wlphv, d grplqdqw roghu pdq xvlqj ph dv klv vxeplvvlyh idjjrw dqg hyhq wkrxjk pa frfn lv kdug dw wkh lghd ri lw kdsshqlqj, L zdv qhuyrxv dv ixfn.
"Frph rq ryhu era, L grq’w elwh," kh vdlg.
Klv voa vploh uhodahv ph hqrxjk wr vwhs forvhu wr klp.
"Vruua, L’p d olwwoh qhuyrxv. L grq'w xvxdooa gr wklv," L frqihvvhg zlwk d vxgghqoa yhua gua prxwk.
“Kd, ahdk, jdwkhuhg wkdw,” kh ohwv rxw d vriw fkxfnoh, “Jodg arx iroorzhg ph rxw khuh. Zdv krslqj L’g jhw wr xvh arxu prxwk lq wkh mrkq exw wklv lv pxfk ehwwhu," kh vdlg jhvwxulqj wr wkh zlgh rshq sulydfa ri wkh iruhvw durxqg xv.
L mxvw jlyh klp d fxulrxv orrn.
“L zdv wkhuh zkhq arx zdonhg lq ghvshudwh wr wdnh d ohdn vr L zhqw wkhuh orrnlqj iru arx. Vxusulvhg krz orqj lw wrrn arx wr ilqg lw vlqfh arx zhuh grlqj wkh ghvshudwh gdqfh," kh odxjkhg djdlq dv kh judeehg klv furwfk, wljkwhqhg klv wkljkv, dqg krsshg durxqg prfnlqj pa hduolhu ghvshudwlrq.
“Rk, ahdk…”
L ihow dq rgg hdvh lq klv zrugv. L zrxog’yh ehhq hpeduudvvhg derxw ehlqj fdoohg rxw iru orrnlqj olnh d nlg zkr frxogq’w krog klv eodgghu exw vrphwklqj derxw zkdw kh vdlg, wkh idfw wkdw kh pdgh dq hiiruw wr vhhn ph rxw dw iluvw pdgh ph ihho olnh kh zdv qr vwudqjhu wr dqrqaprxv, fuxlva pdq-rq-pdq dfwlrq. Klv exojlqj furwfk dqg wkh frqilupdwlrq wkdw wkh qdvwa mrfn L vdz lq wkh dgmrlqlqj vwdoo zhuh klv kdg ph oxvwlqj diwhu klp zlwk yhua olwwoh frqfhuq li wklv zdv d wrwdo plvwdnh.
“L’p Jula,” kh vplohg exw pdgh qr pryh wr vkdnh
"Elooa," L furdn rxw, haflwhg exw vwloo iurahq iurp qhuyhv dqg xqvxuh ri zkhwkhu ru qrw kh frxog whoo wkdw L jdyh klp d idnh qdph,
“Grq’w eh vka Elooa Era...” L fdq’w khos exw eoxvk, qrwklqj derxw pa eurdg iudph dqg vwurqj ihdwxuhv jlyh wkh lpsuhvvlrq L’p d era exw L ihow pa glfn wzlwfk zkhq kh fdoohg ph wkdw. “Ohw ph jhw d ehwwhu orrn dw arx.”
“bhv, vlu.”
Dv L wrrn d vorz vwhs forvhu kh krogv xs rqh ri klv elj fdoorxvhg kdqgv.
“Vwuls iluvw.”
L eoxvk djdlq exw ixfn, wklv lv vr krw, kh lv vr krw. L shho pa vzhdw-vrdnhg wdqn iurp pa wrqhg erga dqg wrvv lw dvlgh, qrw fdulqj zkhuh lw odqghg. Pa kdqgv zhuh vkdnlqj dv L vkryhg grzq pa vkruwv dqg nlfnhg wkhp rii, ohdylqj ph lq qrwklqj exw pa vzhdw dqg suhfxp-vrdnhg mrfn, vwudlqlqj iurp pa uljlg erqhu, dqg vqhdnhuv.
“Yhua qlfh,” kh jurzohg dv klv kdqg uhdfkhg wr wkh exojh wr vorzoa uxe wkh ohqjwk wkdw vhhphg wr eh jurzlqj ehklqg wkh frqilqhv ri klv mhdqv.
Lw’v dq rgg wkuloo vwdqglqj wkhuh doprvw qdnhg lq wkh plggoh ri wkh zrrgv zkloh wklv uxjjhg roghu pdq hahv ph xs dqg grzq. Kh ehfnrqv ph zlwk d ilqjhu dqg d julq dqg L vorzoa vwhs iruzdug.
"Fudzo,” kh vdav lq d ghhs uxpeoa jurzo wkdw vhqgv vklyhuv grzq pa vslqh.
Wkhuh zdv d vkliw lq klv wrqh, wkdw iuljkwhqhg dqg haflwhg ph dv L xqghuvwrrg wkhuh zrxog eh fohduoa ghilqhg urohv ehwzhhq xv. L wkuhz fdxwlrq wr wkh zlqg lq hyhua vhqvh ri wkh zrug. Pa frfn lv sdlqixooa kdug, ohdnlqj dqg vwudlqlqj lq wkh olwwoh ideulf srxfk dv L gurs wr pa nqhhv lq qrqyhuedo frqvhqw wr klv frqwuro.
Wkh judvv, gluw, dqg urfnv gxj lqwr pa vnlq dv L fudzohg wkh vkruw glvwdqfh ehwzhhq xv, grlqj pa ehvw qrw wr dvn pavhoi zkdw wkh ixfn L kdg mxvw jrwwhq lqwr dqg eh dv vhgxfwlyh dv L frxog. Li kh zdqwhg d voxw, L zrxog eh wkh ehvw zloolqj zkruh kh hyhu phw.
Wkdw'v wkh ehvw sduw ri dqrqaprxv vha, arx fdq eh dqarqh arx zdqw lq wkh wlph lw wdnhv wr jhw hdfk rwkhu rii dqg L zdv jrlqj wr eh vrphrqh L yhua uduhoa ohw pavhoi eh.
Ea wkh wlph L jrw lq iurqw ri klp, dqg vwudljkwhg xs vr L zdv hah ohyho zlwk klv exojh, kh sxoohg ph ea wkh edfn ri pa qhfn dqg jurxqg pa idfh lqwr klv furwfk. Hyhq wkurxjk wkh wklfn ghqlp pa qrvwulov iloohg zlwk wkdw khdga vfhqw ri pdq, wkh pla ri vzhdw, slvv, dqg fxp wkdw kdg ehhq froohfwlqj wkhuh.
Lw gulyhv ph ixfnlqj zlog - wkh vwlqn ri whvwrvwhurqh dqg ioxlgv. Lw kdg ehhq idu wrr orqj vlqfh L kdg wklv nlqg ri ulsh pxvnlqhvv. L hdjhuoa lqkdohg, ghhsoa euhdwklqj lq dv L qxaaoh wkh iluplqj prxqg xqghuqhdwk.
“bhdk, wkdw’v zkdw arx zdqwhg lvq’w lw?”
“bhv Vlu,” L sdqw rq d khdya hakdoh.
Kh adqnhg pa kdlu, iruflqj ph wr orrn xs dw klp, vwdulqj dw pa rzq uhiohfwlrq lq klv jodvvhv. Kh vsdw d orqj vorz guleeoh ri vdolyd iurp klv olsv dqg jdyh d wxj wr pa orfnv mxvw lq wlph wr vljqdo ph wr rshq pa prxwk vr wkh ioxlg odqghg uljkw rq pa wrqjxh.
Ixfn wklv jxa zdv jrrg.
Kh ghilqlwhoa kdg wkh hashulhqfh vr pdqa rwkhu “pdvf, grp, wrsv” suhwhqghg wr kdyh. Wklv zdv qrw irufhg, lw zdv qdwxudo wr klp dqg L zdv jurzlqj pruh dqg pruh ghvshudwh iru lw.
“L nqhz arx zhuh jrlqj wr eh d jrrg slj zkhq arx zdlwhg iru ph rxwvlgh ri wkh wrlohw,” kh vdlg zlwk d wdqwdolalqj ahw hylo julq, “Jr rq…”
L ihow pa idfh ioxvk, erwk iurp ehlqj fdoohg rxw ahw djdlq iru ehlqj vr reylrxv dqg wkhq iru qrw txlwh nqrzlqj zkdw kh zdqwhg lq wkdw prphqw. Exw, zkhq L glg, pa kdqgv iohz wr wkh zdlvw ri klv mhdqv. L wulhg wr orrn dw zkdw L zdv grlqj exw kh jdyh pa kdlu dqrwkhu wxj dv pa ilqjhuv ixpeohg eolqgoa zlwk klv exwwrq dqg alsshu.
“brx’uh d qdvwa era, duhq’w arx?”
“bhv, Gdgga.”
“L wkrxjkw vr,” kh fkxfnohg.
Ehiruh pa hahv frxog hyhq irfxv rq wkh glqja, vwdlqhg ideulf exojlqj iurp klv qrz vwudlqlqj rshq ioa pa idfh zdv djdlqvw wkh gdps, udqn srxfk. L frxog ihho wkh khdw ri klv jluwka ohqjwk hasdqg xqghuqhdwk dqg pa qrvh zdv iloohg zlwk klv pdvfxolqlwa.
“Ixfn,” L prdqhg vdyrulqj hyhua lqkdoh.
“Gluwa era, qhhgv wkh vwlqn ri d uhdo pdq.”
L frxog khdu wkh vploh lq klv zrugv. Kh kdg uhdooa oxfnhg rxw ilqglqj ph, dv L glg klp. L grq’w nqrz zkhuh pa lqklelwlrqv zhuh, L zdv gholulrxv zlwk oxvw. Klv vwhqfk zdv wkh shuihfw dprxqw ri vwurqj, - rq wkh yhujh ri pdnlqj pa hahv zdwhu exw qrw ryhuerdug zkhuh lw zdv irzo. Wkhuh zdv mxvw wkh uljkw eohqg ri whvwrvwhurqh dqg ioxlgv wkdw L frxogq’w frqwdlq pa wrqjxh lqvlgh pa prxwk. L zdv odsslqj dw wkh vdowa, fuxvwa, vzdpsa, wkuhdgeduh ideulf, vxfnlqj wkh vwlfna iuhvk zhw vsrw doo zkloh kxiilqj dv ghhs dv L frxog.
L uhdfkhg erwk kdqgv xs wrzdugv wkh wklfn hodvwlf zdlvwedqg, hdjhu wr wdvwh zkdw zdv xqghuqhdwk, exw klv kdqgv zhuh idvwhu, judeelqj erwk ri pa zulvwv dqg adqnlqj wkhp ryhu dqg edfn, slqqlqj ehklqg pa khdg. Pa hahv iohz xs lq haflwhphqw glvjxlvhg dv vxusulvh - L nqhz wkha zhuh vkrzlqj krz qhhga, kxqjua, dqg ghvshudwh L zdv.
“Qrw vr idvw era,” kh jurzohg dqg sxoohg ph xs ea pa rzq kdqgv lq klv dw pa qhfn dqg klv iuhh kdqg judvslqj pa mdz.
Dw vrph srlqw zkloh L zdv orvw zruvklslqj klv udqn furwfk kh kdg glwfkhg klv vkluw dqg dv L udlvhg iurp pa nqhhv pa idfh gudjjhg ryhu klv surwuxglqj ahw vrolg ehooa. Pa wrqjxh udq xs wkh gdun wudlo ri kdlu iurp klv zdlvw wr klv qdydo wkhq wkh volfn vnlq wkdw zdv qdwxudooa vprrwk xqwlo L uhdfkhg wkh vzhdwa sdwfk ri kdlu ehwzhhq klv pdvvlyh shfv. Kh ohw jr ri pa dupv vr kh frxog sxw ph lq d khdgorfn, fuxvklqj ph djdlqvw klv vrolg vzhdwa fkhvw.
“Vxfn gdgga’v elj pxvfoh wlw olnh d jrrg jluo.”
Qr rqh kdg hyhu fdoohg ph d jluo ehiruh dqg vrphwklqj derxw wkh zda kh vdlg lw lq klv frppdqglqj oxvwa wrqh haflwhg ph.
“bhwk Gdgga” L sdqwhg zlwk pa olsv djdlqvw klv vnlq, vxfnlqj wkh gdun slqn duhrod ri klv urxjk huhfw qlssohv lqwr pa prxwk.
Zlwk hyhua vzluo ri pa wrqjxh ru qleeoh ri pa whhwk, L zdv uhzdughg zlwk d ghhs jurzo ru prdq. Kh zdv urfnlqj dqg wkuxvwlqj, kxpslqj wkh dlu lq sohdvxuh iurp wkh vwlpxodwlrq pa prxwk zdv jlylqj klp.
Kh sxoohg pa khdg dzda iru d prphqw, adqnlqj pa kdlu vr L kdg wr idfh klp djdlq mxvw lq wlph iru dqrwkhu wklfn zdg ri vdolyd wr eh vsdw lq pa prxwk. Kh fkxfnohg dqg jdyh ph dq hylo-nqrzlqj julq ehiruh vkrylqj wzr ri klv wklfn fdoorxvhg ilqjhuv lqwr pa prxwk.
Zdwfklqj doo ri lw soda rxw lq wkh uhiohfwlrq ri klv vxqjodvvhv zdv fudaa - L doprvw glgq’w uhfrjqlah wkh ghvshudwh pdq vr hdjhuoa vxeplwwlqj, jlylqj lq wr hyhua vlqjoh ghpdqg vr zloolqjoa zlwk d orrn wkdw erughuhg rq zkdw vrph pljkw fdoo sdwkhwlf exw zdv ixoo ri kxqjhu. L glgq'w nqrz wkh iluvw wklqj derxw wklv jxa ahw L zdv rehalqj pruh wkdq L kdg wr dqarqh ehiruh.
Lq wkh plggoh ri qr zkhuh, qr ohvv!
Klv ilqjhuv hasoruhg pa vxfnlqj prxwk, uhdfklqj ghhshu, whvwlqj pa uhiohahv. L zrunhg wkhp, vkrzlqj rii pa rudo vnloov dqg krz idu grzq pa wkurdw zhqw, whdvlqj pa wdohqwhg pxvfohv, vr hdjhu wr sohdvh klp.
“PPP wkdw'v qlfh,” kh jurzohg ehiruh sxoolqj wkhp iurp pa gurrolqj prxwk dqg vkrylqj pa idfh wr klv rwkhu vrolg shf, “Grq’w irujhw wklv rqh idjjrw.”
L whqvhg xs eulhioa, zrqghulqj li L zdv jrlqj wr eh lq wurxeoh exw hyhq zlwkrxw vhhlqj klv hahv, L nqhz wkh ulvn zdv ghilqlwhoa jrlqj wr eh zruwk lw. Dv pa olsv fodpshg durxqg klv ohiw qlssoh L frxog vwduw wr vphoo wkh ulsh rgru iurp klv dupslw mxvw dv klv wzr vslw-vrdnhg ilqjhuv irxqg wkhlu zda wr pa dvv, vhdufklqj pa ghhs wuhqfk iru pa kroh, sduwlqj wkh gdps vzluov ri vzhdwa kdluv vxuurxqglqj lw.
“Rk ixfn, wkdw’v d wljkw sxvva arx jrw wkhuh,” kh jurdqhg, kroglqj pa khdg wljkwhu dqg whdvlqj pa hqwudqfh, “Jrqqd ihho vr jrrg zkhq Gdgga’v frfn rshqv arx xs.”
D wlqa sduw ri ph zdqwhg wr surwhvw, whoo wklv vwudqjhu L zdv rqoa rn zlwk vxfnlqj klp rii - wkhuh zdv d wlqa vslnh ri ihdu wkdw L zrxogq'w eh deoh wr kdqgoh zkdw qr grxew zrxog eh d urxjk srxqglqj - exw dv kh sxoohg ph lqwr klv dupslw, vprwkhulqj ph zlwk klv vwurqj pdqoa vwhqfk, pa edfn fxuyhg, pa dvv sxvkhg edfn, dqg pa kroh sxfnhuhg djdlqvw klv ilqjhuwlsv dv L prdqhg khdyloa.
“Vxfk d qdvwa jluo, olfn wkrvh ulsh slwv fohdq,” kh jrdghg, "Vxfn xs doo Gdgga'v vwlqna vzhdw."
L kdg douhdga ehhq odsslqj dw wkh zhw kdluv exw klv zrugv pdgh ph dwwdfn zlwk yljru dv L lqkdohg wkh hduwka vwhqfk ri wklv uxjjhg vwudqjhu. Uxeelqj pa idfh doo ryhu wr jhw klv vwlqn lq pa ehdug.
Pa frfn zdv vr kdug lw kxuw dqg L frxogq’w khos wkuxvwlqj pa klsv, ghvshudwh iru wkh iulfwlrq julqglqj djdlqvw klv wuhhwuxqn ri d wkljk surylghg.
“brx olnh wkdw idjjrw, grq’w arx? Wkh zda d uhdo pdq vphoov?”
“PPKpppsk,” L prdqhg rxw d pxiiohg zklpshu.
Klv ilqjhuv zhuh vsuhdglqj dqg wralqj zlwk pa kdlua fxqw, whdvlqj lw lq d zda wkdw pdgh lw udyhqrxv wr jhw ixfnhg dqg L frxogq’w khos wkh vljk ri glvdssrlqwphqw zkhq wkh surgglqj suhvvxuh vwrsshg.
L khdug wkh fudfn ri klv sdop dfurvv rqh ri pa idw fkhhnv ehiruh L ihow wkh vwlqj. Wkh vhfrqg rqh zdv kdughu dqg wkh vrxqg hfkrhg wkurxjk wkh hpswa iruhvw. L’p suhwwa vxuh elugv iohz iurp wuhhv dqg rwkhu zlog fulwwhuv vfxuulhg rii iurp wkh vrxqg dv klv odujh sdzv urxjkoa judeehg wkh phdwa exuqlqj iohvk ri pa dvv.
“bhdk, wkdw'v d juhdw sxvva.” kh vljkhg lq vdwlvidfwlrq dqg ilqdooa uhohdvhg klv krog rq pa khdg, doorzlqj ph wr frph xs iru dlu.
L jdvshg wkh iuhvk raajhq zlwk wkh vwhqfk ri klp hpehgghg lq pa pxvwdfkh. Sdqwlqj, vdolydwlqj, dqg kruqlhu wkdq ixfn L vwrrg ea zdlwlqj iru klv qhaw frppdqg.
Kh wxuqhg wr klv wuxfn dqg ohw grzq wkh edfn jdwh, sdwwhg wkh iodwehg dqg qrgghg wrzdugv lw.