On the road near Hokitika, South Island, New Zealand. November, 1973.
|
What's the matter with these people down here? I stick out my thumb
for the tenth ride today.
Heading where? I have the Haast Pass in mind. Perhaps Mount Cook,
who knows?
The last ride I got was from Greymouth to |
 |
wherever I am now at the side of the road in a thundering rainstorm.
The man behind the wheel was drunk at 9:30am, and still drinking.
He's offering me something called 'Whitebait Patties'. Which are a sort of
pancake stuffed with little fish.
Heads and tails poke out from all directions. I put it in my pocket. But not
the one containing the photo of Rushki. Which I gaze at 100 times a day, and
say, "Hello, little someone," to.
I came down here to get away from Auckland, and work, and friends. Because I
had to make a monumental decision. Probably the most important decision in my
entire life to come.
You see, I've fallen madly in love with a girl, and for the very first time in
my life I am completely happy. She is beautiful and kind and I love her
deeply, too deep to measure.
I am going to marry her if she'll have me.
My ambition was to go to college in the States. With my scholarship assured,
Dad would cash-out my college fund in support of this.
The problem is, I stopped by her parents house and spoke to her father about
it. I stupidly told him of my plans and hoped he'd be pleased somehow. He was
far from pleased. In fact, he practically tossed me into the street.
So here I am, sitting in this drippy little roadside bus-shelter, somewhere on
the West coast of the South Island in the pouring rain.
I'm thinking about her, constantly now, and I've been gone for a couple of
weeks.
I miss her so terribly.
I was hoping to at least reach the Haast Pass before I got to the point of not
being able to stand it any longer. Of not being able to kiss her sweet face
and gaze into those beautiful eyes.
On the opposite side of the road was another bus-shelter, for passengers
heading in the direction I'd just come from. So I picked up my rucksack
and crossed the way to begin the return journey.
My father had written telling me 'Come home now, son, alone, no girlfriend, no
wife.'
I'd written back, "I am home". New Zealand is my home now. I'm in
love with a beautiful girl and her family doesn't want her to leave New
Zealand. So I'm staying here to be with her forever."
She doesn't know it yet, but she's going to be the happiest girl in the world.