REVELATION-final1

Since I have lost my wallet in yesterday’s failed crossing attempt, when I fell in the river and mywallet like my boots sank to the bottom, I have to be particularly careful not to be stopped by thepolice and be asked for ID, of which I have only my car insurance papers because I had placedthem in my backpack and therefore survived my near drowning. Just in case I am stopped I havefolded my car insurance papers so that the name and address of my insurance agent shows andnot mine, as I am uncertain whether or not Canada issued an international arrest warrant, whichfor the sake of precaution I must assume that it did.Everything goes according to plan and by the time I reach the local McDonalds I find it open andI take a seat and treat myself to breakfast and coffee. I linger for as long as I can and threequarters of an hour later I go to the Dunkin Donuts shop and repeat the strategy, all the whilewatching the street and counting the police cars and border patrol pick-up trucks that went by, atleast four. It is now 6:30 AM and I still have two and a half hours to kill before my bus departsand daylight is just starting to appear on the horizon, as the town is waking up.I walk firmly and with purpose, as though I was a man with a destination, but in fact I amdesperately looking for another place to hang out. It is now daylight and to my delight I stumbleupon a mom and pop breakfast place that is worn and lovely and full of war veterans with sadand beaten faces; just the kind of place where I can spend an idle hour without drawing attention.A few minutes before nine o’clock, I make my way to the parking lot where bus stops to pick upthe Calais passengers. It is only when I am inside and take my seat that I begin to relax. And thefurther it moves away from the border, sneaking its way along the wooded coastline, the safer Ifeel. With a sigh of relief I lean back into my seat and enjoy the ride.During the trip I take stock of my money, of which I only have $150, just enough to pay for theGrey Hound bus to Florida once I reach Bangor and to buy a couple of meals along the way. AsI think about my dire situation I remember that my brother-in-laws’ parents live in Philadelphiaand that I had had the pleasure of meeting them once, but I cannot for the life of me remembertheir address. Even so I decide to stop in Philadelphia, find them and spend a few days therebefore I continue on to Florida, where the cops may very well be waiting for me.After an anxiety filled three hour bus ride, an exhausting 14 hours in the Grey Hound bus, twohours of city buses and three hours of walking I finally find my relatives. I ring the bell andhope that they are home. To my absolute delight it is my nephew Andrew, my twin-sister’syoungest son who opens the door, as he is just visiting his grandparents for a couple of weeks.We fall into each other’s arms and his grandparents join us and I feel safe again with family.The worse is over.A few days later, renewed and refreshed from being with family, Andrew and I get on the bustogether and head for Orlando, Florida, as he decided to accompany me and see his mom anddad’s surprised faces when I show up out of nowhere, unannounced and on the run. In mynephew’s nineteen-year-old eyes, I am already a hero.159