announcement had gone over.
Robert nodded. “Mexican banks hold 100 percent of the control of all coastal and border lands purchased by foreign investors. Make sure you check your dates on your documents. Most trusts only run for fifty years, but the government is obligated to issue a new permit for another fifty years no matter how much time remains on the original trust.”
“That’s good to know,” Joanne said.
“I shouldn’t have gotten him started on real estate.” Marti leaned over and gave the appearance she was confiding in Joanne and me. “I should know by now to avoid the topics of real estate and golf if I want to stay in the conversation.”
The couple across from us talked about water skiing, and Marti clicked out of the conversation altogether. I felt equally disconnected. What amazed me was how my sister came across so warmly responsive to these people she just met. She appeared comfortable with any topic and any combination of table companions.
I felt ready to have Joanne all to myself after dinner. The first thing she asked, once we were away from everyone else, was if I felt okay. I filled her in on the details.
“Do you think the ship’s movement set you off? We could see about getting you a seasickness patch to put behind your ear.”
“No, it was the snail. I didn’t have lunch, remember? Butlet’s not talk about the appetizers. The rest of dinner was great. I’m fine now.”
“This hasn’t been a very enjoyable trip for you so far, has it? First the hives and then the nausea.”
“I hope that means everything can only get better.”
“It will,” Joanne said confidently.
“You know what’s strange?” I asked. “All this pampering and fancy food is supposed to be a luxury. We’re supposed to experience a taste of how the other half lives, but to be honest, I’m not impressed yet.”
“This isn’t exactly how the other half lives. Do you know how many millions of people live with barely enough clothing and food to make it through each day?”
I regretted starting my sister on this topic. She was passionate about how clueless people were regarding the conditions the rest of the world lived in. “If even a fraction of the comfortable people in the western world would share just the smallest percentage of their wealth with the rest of the world, so much could be changed,” Joanne said. “I told Sandy I didn’t think I’d be able to relax and enjoy all this lavishness, but she scolded me and said I needed to be thankful that this cruise had been given to me and to learn to receive graciously.”
“It is a gift,” I agreed. “I haven’t been very grateful yet, either. I think it’s hard to receive sometimes when you’re used to being the one who does the giving.”
Joanne nodded.
We strolled side by side in silence through the lobby areaand decided to check out the photo gallery on the lower level. The pirate photos weren’t posted yet, but the picture of the two of us in sombreros was adorable—not because we looked so great in goofy, oversize straw hats, but because we looked like us. And we looked young and happy even with our silly pose. Without hesitating, we each ordered a copy. The picture seemed to represent for both of us how to enter into this gift with delight.
Deciding that a stroll on deck would enable us to enter into the joy of the journey, we headed out on the side of the ship where we had gone earlier for the lifeboat drill.
Pausing at the rail, Joanne and I stood close together, peering down many stories below. Subtle glimmers of white-laced waves let us know we were truly at sea, moving south through the calm Pacific waters. I lifted my chin to the bracing wind, drawing in a deep breath. The night air carried with it a mysterious hint of the vast ocean that surrounded us, hidden in the dark cloak of night. Moist droplets of salty air clung to our eyelashes.
Laughter floated our way from the pool area behind us. We turned to see that
Robert nodded. “Mexican banks hold 100 percent of the control of all coastal and border lands purchased by foreign investors. Make sure you check your dates on your documents. Most trusts only run for fifty years, but the government is obligated to issue a new permit for another fifty years no matter how much time remains on the original trust.”
“That’s good to know,” Joanne said.
“I shouldn’t have gotten him started on real estate.” Marti leaned over and gave the appearance she was confiding in Joanne and me. “I should know by now to avoid the topics of real estate and golf if I want to stay in the conversation.”
The couple across from us talked about water skiing, and Marti clicked out of the conversation altogether. I felt equally disconnected. What amazed me was how my sister came across so warmly responsive to these people she just met. She appeared comfortable with any topic and any combination of table companions.
I felt ready to have Joanne all to myself after dinner. The first thing she asked, once we were away from everyone else, was if I felt okay. I filled her in on the details.
“Do you think the ship’s movement set you off? We could see about getting you a seasickness patch to put behind your ear.”
“No, it was the snail. I didn’t have lunch, remember? Butlet’s not talk about the appetizers. The rest of dinner was great. I’m fine now.”
“This hasn’t been a very enjoyable trip for you so far, has it? First the hives and then the nausea.”
“I hope that means everything can only get better.”
“It will,” Joanne said confidently.
“You know what’s strange?” I asked. “All this pampering and fancy food is supposed to be a luxury. We’re supposed to experience a taste of how the other half lives, but to be honest, I’m not impressed yet.”
“This isn’t exactly how the other half lives. Do you know how many millions of people live with barely enough clothing and food to make it through each day?”
I regretted starting my sister on this topic. She was passionate about how clueless people were regarding the conditions the rest of the world lived in. “If even a fraction of the comfortable people in the western world would share just the smallest percentage of their wealth with the rest of the world, so much could be changed,” Joanne said. “I told Sandy I didn’t think I’d be able to relax and enjoy all this lavishness, but she scolded me and said I needed to be thankful that this cruise had been given to me and to learn to receive graciously.”
“It is a gift,” I agreed. “I haven’t been very grateful yet, either. I think it’s hard to receive sometimes when you’re used to being the one who does the giving.”
Joanne nodded.
We strolled side by side in silence through the lobby areaand decided to check out the photo gallery on the lower level. The pirate photos weren’t posted yet, but the picture of the two of us in sombreros was adorable—not because we looked so great in goofy, oversize straw hats, but because we looked like us. And we looked young and happy even with our silly pose. Without hesitating, we each ordered a copy. The picture seemed to represent for both of us how to enter into this gift with delight.
Deciding that a stroll on deck would enable us to enter into the joy of the journey, we headed out on the side of the ship where we had gone earlier for the lifeboat drill.
Pausing at the rail, Joanne and I stood close together, peering down many stories below. Subtle glimmers of white-laced waves let us know we were truly at sea, moving south through the calm Pacific waters. I lifted my chin to the bracing wind, drawing in a deep breath. The night air carried with it a mysterious hint of the vast ocean that surrounded us, hidden in the dark cloak of night. Moist droplets of salty air clung to our eyelashes.
Laughter floated our way from the pool area behind us. We turned to see that
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