12/23
This should be the second day of my trip and I should already be home now enjoying the holiday season with my family. I should already be repulsed by anti-gay remarks and feeling unwelcome. But because my flight was cancelled due to the weather I still have not arrived. Yesterday my boyfriend drove me to the airport. We said our goodbyes. It wasn’t emotional. I will only be gone for a few days and it isn’t like we haven’t spent several days apart in the past. I stood in line for about an hour after I noticed on the screen that my flight was cancelled. I spoke to my good friend Luis about recent big time drama (perhaps in another blog) while I stood in line. When I finally reached an attendant, she was able to book me on the last seat for a flight to Denver and then to Tulsa for the next day. It was a little frustrating but I wasn’t that angry about it.
Because of being delayed for a day, I was able to spend the evening, which turned into a late evening, with my boyfriend, Luis and his boyfriend, and a friend of theirs. They were making merengues and boy were they good. I think I ate ten of them! It was nice to just relax in the comfort of friends. We even watched Ratatouille. I don’t like watching animated movies much but it wasn’t too bad of a movie.
Today my boyfriend drove me back to the airport. I checked in and made my way through security. I had several hours until my flight because I had arrived so early because I didn’t want any problems like yesterday. I decided to get online and browse the web for a while. My trip has been pretty uneventful so far.
Every year when I go home it always feels weird. I don’t know if it’s because I feel out of place or if it’s because I haven’t come out to them yet or if it is some other reason. This year is especially sad. This will probably be the last time I see my granny. She is old and keeps getting sicker and sicker. The last time I saw her she didn’t even know who I was. It was so sad to see her like that. Also, this will probably be the last time I see my dog that I’ve had since I was a child. He’s been deaf for several years now but now my mother says he is also going blind. He’s always been such a good dog and it’s sad to think he won’t be around the next time I visit.
When my parents greeted me at the airport in Tulsa my dad said, “What’s that? A purse?” I was only carrying my laptop bag so it sort of struck me off guard when he said that. It’s a good thing I hadn’t received my man purse from Blowesha and Umair yet!! On the drive home we caught up on things, joked around, and just relaxed in the car.
Home was the same as always. Not much had changed.
My visit was pretty uneventful. I visited with family, took it easy, and ate WAY TOO MUCH! It was nice to see my family after not seeing them for a year but at the same time I was ready to return back to Chicago. I love my family but for some reason it feels less and less like home each year I return.
It makes me wonder, “Have I really changed that much in the three years I’ve been in Chicago?”
