Thursday 14 June 2012

Back Home, Day 1: Touchdown



And so, after a smooth flight over the mountains and prairies, and a very turbulent one over northern and central Ontario, I landed in my hometown at 4:45 pm Eastern Daylight Savings Time today. By contrast with the damp, grey delayed spring of the Wet Coast, Montreal was (and is) sweltering. As I type this, at 11:00 pm, it is twenty-one degrees and partly cloudy.

I have been going over and over in my head for weeks, months, how to not only come out to my folks, but how to make a new, adult place for myself in my family: that is, if it is truly possible to do so. I hope for the best. But, old habits and perceptions die hard. This afternoon, as I was waiting for my father to pick me up outside the airport arrivals area, I felt every bit the lost, small child with bags packed, and father coming to the rescue. We were on the expressway not five minutes, in the sweltering heat no less, before becoming entangled in rush hour traffic, something my father does not take kindly to. Out came the expletives (English, French and Italian). I found myself marvelling at how different our worlds actually were and wondering how I would ever get my message through to him. How would I do it? I knew when (after the wedding, of course), but how? We spoke, literally, quite different languages (although I have been known to swear a blue streak, here and there).

This thought nagged me for the rest of the afternoon and evening, through dinner and, later, as I presented my folks with the wedding present I had bought them. And until I have the Conversation, I will be sleeping on it.

To be continued ...

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