10,189 miles. 11-hour time difference. We look at each other through our phones on our nightly WhatsApp video call. Maggie’s at home in Delaware. Jan is in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Flash back. Last January in San Miguel de Allende. “What about us?” Jan ventured after our first 24 hours together; sitting gently side by side in the beautiful apartment lavished with authentic Mexican art.
We almost couldn’t look into each other’s eyes at that moment; dipping into something so real and promisingly precious. Was the sensation falling or flying? We were jumping from a cliff with no known outcome.
That began a whirlwind year of surprises, joy, exotic meeting places, fascination, adventure, celebration.
And now a travel ban? Never in our lifetimes. Up until now.
We started following the Covid-19 this past January while in Aruba, Date # 6. Our concerns were: How bad will this be worldwide? Will we be safe? Our children? Our grandchildren? Our friends? Our businesses?
Just keep moving forward we concluded.
We plan. Delaware. End of April. Jan has his flight arrangements to fly directly from a business trip in Mexico to Philadelphia where Maggie will pick him up and we will enjoy two weeks on the east coast, USA.
The end of April is tulip time in the Netherlands and Jan has told some friends from America they can stay with him if they come to see the tulips. Sorry, change of plans. He’ll be in Delaware. You’ll have to wait until next year.
We have an annual tulip festival in Lewes, Delaware, celebrating the early Dutch immigrants who came in 1631. Maggie assures Jan that even though it’s not Amsterdam's Keukenhoff, there will be tulips for him.
Spoiler Alert! Covid-19 update.
No Europeans can enter the states for thirty days. The margin is close. “I’ll meet you in Mexico then,” says Maggie. Jan’s response, “Think twice. Americans returning will go in quarantine for two weeks.” We look at each other again through the blessing of technology.
Date #7 will require some revamp.
We have each been through some abrupt disruptions in our lives. Some happy, some miserable. Some voluntary, some thrust upon us.
We are resilient. Stepping off a precipice is not new territory for either of us.
Date #7. Where and when? The sound of air sucking between front teeth fills the phone... :):)
We smile and pour out our nightly symphony of kisses through our cell phones.