February 12, 1989
I feel so energized! I always knew I was a big city girl but I never spent much time in one to know for sure. It’s only been a fantasy until now. I’ve been here three weeks so far. I was supposed to be coming home, but I love it so much I asked to stay another three. We train in different cities in three week intervals so it’s either come home now or another three. I chose another three.
Cleveland.
I’ve always heard bad things about Cleveland but I love it. There’s so much to do and see. Fabulous entertainment, shopping and lake Eerie for the nature lover in me. Music. The music scene is amazing here. Cleveland has it all.
One day I was downtown and I wish I could have captured this feeling in some permanent way because it was incredible. I was walking along the street. It was raining. Steam was billowing from the manhole covers in the street, as always. The sky was gray, sad. A man was playing a saxaphone on the corner and periodically shouting random names to catch people’s attention. “Rita! You’re a child of God. Jennifer! Repent your sins! Jesus saves!”Then he’d go back to playing some melancholy jazz. The whole feeling surrounding me, all the people, the colors, the music, the steam, held an emotional weight. I don’t really know how to describe the power this had on me. The city is alive with feeling!
The people I work with are great! Such a fun group and we all love to go out together. Last night we went to a reggae club. Down in the “The Flats” there are a bunch of clubs, all different kinds of music. We hopped from one to the other for awhile and ended up in the reggae club. I was dancing with a guy I work with. He’s quite interesting. I’ve had my eye on him for awhile as well as one other guy. Tall, thin, blue eyes, soft blond curls, artictic muscician type. He got a little perturbed with me.
“You haven’t payed any attention to me at all.”
“What?”
“I’ve been interested since the first day we met and you always seem to talk to him.”
“Oh. I didn’t realize. You’re interested? In me?”
“Hasn’t it been obvious?”
“I guess so, a little,” as a blush lit up my cheeks.
So we spent the rest of the evening together. After dancing till our legs hurt we decided it was time to go. The director, that I was staying with at the time, had been rather creepy with the other girl that came with me. He was coming on to her so the guys were trying to get us out of his place.
“Why don’t you stay with me tonight? We can go get your things tomorrow and you can just stay there for the rest of your training. You don’t need to be somewhere that might be unsafe.”
“Thanks. I appreciate that.”
“You can sleep in the other room if you like.”
There was a smile and a wink attached to that statement. We both knew I wouldn’t be sleeping in the other room. He wasn’t the only one that was interested.
When I woke up the next morning I heard Bob Marley singing Is This Love and something smelled delicious. Just as I was opening my eyes, squinting against the bright sunlight streaming in through the window, he walked in with a huge cup of the best coffee I had ever had. It was perfect, just the right amount of sugar and cream…mmm. He was making breakfast too but it wasn’t done yet.
Again I felt that energy and happiness I’ve felt from the moment I arrived here.
The city, the music, the coffee, the man…Cleveland.
I’m home!
Just me…Marissa
No comments
Comments feed for this article