Finish

Another language lesson: You’re never out of or through with something. Instead, it’s “finish.” That’s past tense.

You hear this a lot, especially in restaurants. Oh, you wanted tomato on that sandwich, sorry, it’s “finish.” The cheap bottled water? “Finish,” though the pricey one is available.

That guy standing over there that you’re hoping to ring you up? Oh, he’s “finish.” Same with the shoes you were hoping to get in a size 40.

And now I join the crew. After a week of lasts, I’m finally “finish.”

As far as work goes, it ended appropriately: having to stay over an hour late for the second time this week. At least in this case, it was for breaking news, but the thing is, we had six people waiting on one story that wasn’t going to make deadline anyway. Please, people in charge: recognize what you have to do to run a paper successfully.

I don’t think that’s been the case so again, I am just more and more glad I am getting out of here.

Everything, or at least most everything, has lined up properly. I came down to the wire there getting the passport back (had to have my visa canceled) and getting my final utilities paid, but that stuff came through.

My landlord even, without question, gave me my entire deposit back without checking the apartment (which is pristine, really) and HR advanced my both my housing allowance and salary for April.

My two little wrinkles have been the cab tomorrow morning and the cable. Of course the cable.

The cab wouldn’t take a reservation from someone who doesn’t have a phone – they hung on me, in fact. I guess I will have to risk that. I plan on leaving at 6 a.m. for the airport. Usually there are cabs around, so hopefully it won’t take long to flag one down.

The cable is just a pain. I called to cancel from work as I’ve already given my phone (bought in Morocco three years ago) to someone. Again, they pressure you for a number and don’t like it when you claim to not have one. As What’s-His-Name said (repeatedly) in “The Princess Bride”: “Inconceivable!”

After some convincing, they eventually got the picture I wanted to end all services. Now, the cable bill that I paid says it’s through March 31, coincidentally, the last day I need cable. So I figured that should be fine.

No. Cable companies being globally evil, they claim I must pay another month. Well, they can kiss my butt and sic Interpol on me. I have no intention of giving them $30 for zero days of service. Negative one, if you count from the day I canceled.

So I feel I’m set. I even have already exchanged a HUGE pile of rupiah for exactly 10 US currency bills. Lightens my load. Hopefully, I’ll still exchange a little more at the airport; I still needed some for today.

I tried one last time to find decent tennis shoes. I located a not-too-bad pair off the 50 percent off rack and lined up to get them but the sales people claimed they weren’t on sale. Yeah, right. No sale.

I certainly won’t miss white people prices.

Tonight, a crew from work is meeting at a place called Bluegrass to say goodbye. Me leaving is really just an excuse to get together, and I’m fine with that. I’ve got one more load of stuff to pass along and it’s a prefect opportunity to do so.

I did agree based on the name of the place, but I’ve since learned it’s not really a bluegrass place but rumor has it there are good burgers so I’m ready. God knows I need the meat. I’ve been anemic since PC. (Not to self: Get iron tablets.)

The next 12-14 months have taken shape. I’ve officially signed on for an AmeriCorps position in North Dakota. It’s in Minot, the town that had bad bloods last June. I’ll be doing flood relief, which is different than anything I’ve done but it really sounds awesome. I’ve talked with the people with whom I will be working and they all sound great.

Plus, there’s the whole cowboys and oil men thing to consider. Mmm. I must say, that did weigh in on the decision, but only slightly since the other choice was the beach. Tough call, and that job sounded really good, too, but this one seems like a better fit.

I will begin at the end of June, which seems like it’s a long time away, but here’s what I have to consider: between now and then, I’m on the road off and on. And by that I mean *really* on the road. And in the air.

Tomorrow I leave. It’s a 35-hour trip, except I’m not sure if that includes the 10 hours in layovers. I hope so. I have over six hours in some airport in China (CAN) that seems to rank dead last on international airports and then over four hours in LAX. One hour in Atlanta I can do, especially if I am near the Chick-Fil-A. (Note to self: Look up which terminal it’s in.)

I spent about $8 today on snacks for the plane, varying from the fake M&Ms to fake Pringles to these baked pea things that are coated in something that’s as addicting as crack.

Since the LAX-ATL leg is overnight, I am on the first flight into Tally. Hoping Country Kitchen is still open for breakfast; I am in need of a buttered bacon biscuit.

Next week, I head to DC for the assessment, for which I am starting to freak out. I return on Wednesday, then leave on Saturday or earlier for Zippy’s P’cola tournament. I’m picking her up and we’re heading to check on Gray in Lafayette.

After that, I’m in town or so – hopefully taking Mackenzie with Leanne and James to the Junior Museum -- until mid-May, when I go on a mission trip to Nicaragua. TRBC is taking a soccer/football team (I’ve been calling it football for a year now, have to get back into the habit) though the 18^th. We’re flying in and out of Orlando; maybe I can meet up with my boys there. Oh, and Laurie, too, of course!

Z is then playing in Reno again over Memorial Day, and who can turn down a trip that puts you 15 minutes from Tahoe? I have a $99 Delta companion ticket and I’m thinking I should use it since vacations next year will be scant.

My AmeriCorps training is June 11-14 in some Chicago suburb. Really? Usually it’s Denver or Minneapolis. I’d have way preferred either, but seems like if they’re sending us to the Windy City they could at least put us where we could “El” it to a baseball game. Ah well.

And then after that I’ll be heading up to Minot. It’s 30 hours by car, so there will be several stops. I don’t remember how far Laramie was, but I have already mapped this one and noticed Nashville is on the way. Would love to stay there two nights but we’ll see what the time frame is. St. Louis and Omaha are also potential overnight stops.

And then I’ll start the next 12 months.

But for now in Jakarta, I am “finish.”