Joe and Charlene talked for two hours about New York restaurants, the theater and museums. They talked about childhood dreams and the realities that followed. There were few lulls in the conversation.
They talked together until the area around them filled with people and the noise that comes with them made it almost impossible to hear each other.
“I’ll see you when we reach Kigali Joe. I don’t think we will see much of each other on the plane. I’m up in first class. I’m in group one.”
“Great. I’m in group four. It’s a long walk up to the first class section even if they would let me up there, which I’m sure they won’t.”
“I used some points from my credit card for an upgrade,” Charlene lied.
“Oh. That sounds great. I don’t have any points and this trip is already straining my budget. That was one of the issues that Suzan and I argued about. She has no idea about saving money. But now it doesn’t matter as I am alone and have no one looking for my support or companionship.”
“Oh Joe, don’t worry about that, you’ll find the right partner. I can feel it in my bones. This is just fall that you are feeling Joe. The cold and damp are setting in now. I can feel it too. It can be depressing in the city when the clouds roll in.”
“Let’s get together in Istanbul when we have pour layover Charlene. I have some ideas for my travel book I’d like to run past you. I’ve been thinking about this book a lot.”
“Sure Joe. That’s what I’m here for besides having a trip of a lifetime.
That’s the end of Chapter Twenty-Three
I was in Utah for a wedding of one of my former employees tis weekend.
We are like a big family, you might say.
Those few photos of Salt Lake are on my TikTok at r. c. hand
More of “Joe in Africa” tomorrow.
