aldus dreams

Maybe the best of the bunch...this story goes backto when I stumbled into the rest of my life.

I was in Antigua, Guatamala. 1998. I had just wrapped up a total bender on Lake Atitlan (if you've never been, do yourself a favor and get down there; it's beautiful for any and all, but if you're home-free and looking for a good place to settle for a spell, this is a good option) and was on my way back to my hotel to pick up my bags before heading down to Costa Rica.

I stopped in to a cyber-cafe to let some friends know I would be there in short-order and simply got absorbed into the glow of the only other person in the little café. A beautiful chica who would become my wife. Of course, I didn't know this at the time. All I knew was that she was gorgeous and of the four computers in the place (all empty but hers), I sat down next at the one closest to her.
Within a minute or two, she began to hit the delete button furiously, giggling as she did. I had to ask.

"What's so funny?" I asked.

She looked at me startled.

"No, seriously. What's so funny?"

She paused and then proceded to tell me the story ...

She had been writing her brother and was just telling him how much she missed her old boyfriend and was contemplating getting back together with him when she got home. Then, turning an even brighter shade of red, added that she had also written, "But this hot guy just sat down next to me, so who knows?"

Apparently, I was that guy. And I still can't figure that one out. But no matter. The point is, she seemed to think so and the conversation was rolling. She, too, was making her way south. And no, she wouldn't mind looking me up when she got to Costa Rica. And sure, maybe we could get a bite. (And yes, we were both more than half hoping it might turn into a traveler's fling).

We laughed together for about five minutes and she scooted out of there, cheeks still red as a rose. Just before she got to the door, I got her to shout out her email address. And seconds later, I had started an email which would be sent off within a few minutes.

That email is now pasted to a small magnet and hanging on our fridge.

So ... Aldus Dreams. The title takes it's name from Aldus Huxley. (if you haven't read Brave New World, do yourself a favor and pick it up) Huxley once called Antigua the most romantic city on earth. Frankly, I'm not so sure if I'd agree with that. One, Paris is still Paris. And two, the second you get off the bus in Antigua, you're mobbed by children hocking watches and whatnot. It's not the worst thing in the world, but I think it also immediately disqualifies a city from the "most romantic" designation.

Hence, to my experience, this beautiful city is one that will forever remain in Aldus' dreams.

- lyrics -