Sunday, February 17

My mother was guiding a group of us through the fields of a farm. She was in the front, my sisters behind her, a gorilla, and then me. I was very proud of the gorilla. She couldn't quite speak yet, but she was civilized and happy to be coming with us back into the city.

We stopped to rest and I sat with the gorilla. I pointed a panda bear and her baby making their way through the farm in the distance. The gorilla enjoyed seeing them.

We reached the city and the gorilla was a little shocked. I don't think she knew what to expect. We took her to a museum and showed her human bones and gorilla bones. She denied having gorilla bones. The museum's curator assured her those were the bones she had.

In the museum I ran into my cousin Danny. He and I strolled outside to a pier where cruise ships often docked. We talked about what we were thinking of doing with our futures. He said he wanted a master's degree. I said I did too. In Costa Rica, maybe. He said not in Costa Rica because he'd have to study under Mr. Atkinson (our old English teacher) and he didn't want that. I told him Lincoln (our old high school) would be a good place to do it, though. He said he was thinking of doing it in the states. I asked him not to leave for California.

We strolled through his grandmother's old house. The ghost of his grandfather still lingered there. His sister and brother had fallen asleep by a huge fireplace. His sister woke up and smiled at us.

We walked out of the house and into a gigantic glass structure filled with gardens and canals. It was beautiful and peaceful and full of light. Tall palm trees pushed up towards the glass and there were beautifully landscaped stone paths leading through the waterfalls and gardens. I asked him to stay in Costa Rica with me. He agreed to think about it. In the meantime, though, he and I both had places to go.

I hailed 5 water taxis (one driven by Andrew Westlund, from Saint Louis) and set off with my entourage.