Indulgence

a magickal moment

Jorane from Roll the Stars (words by Jorane and Simon Wilcox and music by Jorane)
Everything makes sense
After work, after dark
It's a graceful silence
I'm just sad I can't stay

Yesterday was a magickal morning. There was no denying it. I woke up early. Other than one interview, we were pretty much done. We were full of stuff for Sydney as it was. So it was scheduled in the morning for a free day and then after the interview, the rest of the afternoon off.

I woke up early because I wanted to take the bus to Bondi beach. Australia is etched in my mind for its fabulous beaches and I really wanted to visit one. My last beach trip was in June and so it was time. I wanted to get sand on my feet. I wanted to see the surf. I wanted to smell the ocean.

Astrud and Glen, executive producer and camera man respectively, wanted to come with me so I woke them up and then went down to have breakfast and to change my money. I needed some cash for the bus tickets and since I was going out of Sydney to the suburbs, would be needin’ cash for the train.

It was early and the money changer was to open at 9am and it was only 8:55am so I was there, standing in the cold, hands buried in the pockets of my jacket when a middle aged man with a kind smile passed by. He might’ve been Middle Eastern but he could’ve been Pakistani or Indian. I wasn’t sure exactly. He passed by in front of me, turned to look and stopped.

“You are a very lucky man,” he said. Cautiously, I thanked him and, since I was waiting for the shop to open, tried to stay out of his way without moving.

“No, you don’t understand, I’m a fortune-teller,” he said, beaming brightly, “You have a very fortunate face. You’re features are lucky.” I felt strange at his statement but found myself speechless. He smiled again and repeated, “You are a very lucky man.” Then he left.

I stood there and watched him walk away. I wanted to chase him down and tell him that he was wrong. I was sorely depressed all of May and June. I made so many wrong choices and I was just getting by, still living hand-to-mouth and it would be a long while before I get back to being okay.

That morning, I went to Bondi beach and saw the immense ocean and my mouth was a full-on smile that wouldn’t leave. I took off my socks and shoes, despite the freezing cold, and walked on the sand. We had the interview at noon and then left by train for Cabramatta which was not what we were expecting.

That night, separated from the group, I took the monorail twice around its route and then walked to the Rocks and just circled it three times. I sat by the harbour and looked at the Sydney Opera House in the distance and then the other way to see Harbour Bridge. I then walked the distance to the Opera House and walked up the steps while people were walking down, probably coming from watching a show. I turned up the volume of the I-Pod that Jay lent me. It was Forgiveness from The Prayer Cycles by Jonathan Elias. Linda Rondstadt was belting out beautiful melodies in Spanish and there and then, I just broke down and cried. I was just amazed by the beauty of the whole place and the whole situation that I was in. Here I was, at the prime of my life, swallowed by the magick of another land.

The guy was right after all. I am a lucky bastard!

posted by wanggo @ 10:40 PM