Sunday, November 27, 2005

My friend Celia never knew why she misses Over-the-Rhine so often, but wouldn't move down here with me. This moment is perhaps the one she would miss, when the Old St. Mary's Church rings its bells for how about ten minutes. It's not just the bell but also the echoes that goes through the air through the rows of old brick stores and homes and apartments and run down houses. It's not just the houses but also the color of the skies that combines with the scenes of the leaves falling down the trees and the dead leaves on my fire escape because of the cold winter weather. Everything looks beautiful in my eyes.

One time I tempted her to walk down to the river, "It's only about 15 blocks away, and 500 feet along the brigde." And she couldn't say no since the sky were so bright even though it was 50F outside. Poor Celia came back so sore and lie down on my couch while I gave her a piece toblerone with almonds and skim milk to ease herself. "Why wouldn't you sit down, wouldn't you tired?" Walking is my favorite kind of entertainment. Don't ask me if I am tired cause I would not be. One day we have a day off to observe one of the jewish holidays, and how happy I was to spend the whole day walking through every single sidewalk in this neighborhood and downtown with so many other people who were so lucky to have downtown as their work place. I was window shopping and observing what's new and what's gone. And I was happy. I think I did that in every city I was in. Except, of course, you cannot do that in some places that don't even have sidewalks...

One day at a time, I introduced her to new places around where she never been through. She called me the walking google map, although, if you notice, google map sometimes doesn't suppport some of the right direction, so...But, she just wanted to be possitive and supportive, and I thanked her for that.

This place, means a lot to me, and have gave meanings in my journey these past few years, but one of the things that I don't want to do is to get stuck in one place and just stay there forever. That would've been a nightmare, but, to have Cincinnati as a home, where you can go back and go on and go back again, is a blessing, and I wanted that. I'll be leaving this place in less than two weeks, and now I am spending my time and connect my soul with as many people as I can and as many places I would like to revisit here in this town. It was a joyfull ride; I've been happy, I've been sad, I've been crying, I've been laughing, I've been comforted, and I've been lonely, I had it all, but I can never get enough of you, Cincinnati. I am gonna miss you so much, but I'll be back (with God's permission, of course).