A/N: Okay, so the contest still stands-check my bio for info. I saw the
movie, people, and like wow, it was incredible, but I feel Gordo should
have had a bigger role. What can I say? I am a sucker like that. Anyway,
for the next note, I would like to say that this is definitely the last
chapter or the second to last chapter of this story, my baby. After this,
believe it or not, there will be no sequels. My other stories need to be
updated more, and I can't handle another story, and a sequel---where would
Lizzie go? Haha I could always do a reunion trip thirty years later. NO! I
mean, well, never say never. I am constantly changing my mind. Anyway, this
being the last chapter, and yes, I have decided this is the last chapter; I
am preparing to thank all my reviewers for reviewing and everyone else.
Disclaimer: Sigh. I own nobody. Do you have to rub it in my face?
Chapter 32
Finally Home
23 June 2002
Okay, so I ended up watching the in flight movie, Harry Potter, and slept most of the time, an when I wasn't sleeping I wrote a poem about the experience in Europe using this handy dandy journal as help, and well, perhaps I will share it with you.
Goodbye Hill Ridge, Hello France
I left my parents and took a chance
This experience will always be in my head,
Especially the light that lit the bed.
Was a celebrity really on the plane?
Did it ever really rain?
Some of the trip is already getting fuzzy.
I learned parts of a language without using Muzzy!
Gordo and I are now together.
The only question now is, will it last forever?
Everyone is dating
Life is complicating
I climbed a tower and an arch,
And walked in the dark.
I am now familiarized with foreign banks
Now, theirs euros, forget the francs.
I saw more than one church,
While the statues lurched.
We visited the Louvre
That I can prove.
Overnight we went on a train
And stopped in Spain
Oh, and there, it did rain.
Sarah turned fourteen.
Another church or two was seen.
Then a museum or two
And some churches, too
I avoided a bullfight
Because I feel that it isn't right.
Gordo met some Spanish girl
Who, to me, looked like a squirrel,
We saw some dancing,
And continued romancing,
We traveled to Rome after that
And ate food and got fat
We toured ancient buildings and places
That once led Olympian races.
We ate bunches of pizza and pasta
Gordo admitted he missed his matza.
We learned about Donatello and Raphael,
And of course I tripped and fell
I love gelato
And have a new motto
"When in Rome, Do as the Romans" they say.
"Throw and coin in the Trevi fountain, and you will be back one day"
I ascended the Spanish steps with flow,
By now you should know
The trip wasn't over yet,
And Italian boy I met,
Yet that happens not yet.
I saw Vatican City, that is separate from Rome
I saw the paintings and a huge dome.
Now is a day
I went to Pompeii
And had a strange day
The story involves Kate
Which is why we were late
The boy I mentioned before
Helped us some more
He picked up my passport
His English words were short
We just left Roma and all of Italia
And even Europa
It seems like months and even a year
But now, the end is near
Life was so easy
My hair feels so greasy
In ways I'm sad
In others I'm glad
Home is not far away
I'll see America today.
)_)_)_)_)_
Okay, yeah, I know, its like really kinda lame, that poem, but hey, it took time, and when I am famous, this poem will be published, and translated into like thirty languages, and maybe, some will be on somebody's epitaph.
Okay, so maybe not, but hey you never know.
After that, I slept a little, talked to Gordo, played a card game with Gordo, and watching another movie, Return To Me. I then made a friendship bracelet, and talked to Miranda, who was behind me. No famous people were on the flight this time, although there was a guy on the flight that looked a lot like Tim Allen, only fatter and balder, but that doesn't count.
I slept more, ate some of my snacks and was woken up by Gordo, who said we were about to land. I looked down, and I saw the Atlantic Ocean with a few distant dots that were islands and a distant line of land, that must have been New York.
Wow, it is six a.m.. . .no wait, its midnight here in New York, and nine in the evening in California. This means, my parents are probably like sitting around right this moment watching TV or something, and no where near tiredness, while I am so tired, and that coach airplane thing really isn't comfortable. So, here we are, midnight . . .no nine o'clock.I don't know, I went ahead and reset my watch to nine, so I wouldn't have to do it again when I got home.
Even though our flight was like fifteen minutes late, we still had time to sit around and eat. Man, at this point I was starving, so I ate some meat, and then we went through customs and baggage claim and got a new airplane tag thing, and then we went to our gate. I would see my mom in less than twelve hours. While waiting for our flight, we hung around the gate and played cards, and talked, in fact, everyone talked. We played the "want, settle get" game for a while. Hehe. I want Tom Cruise. I will settle for Ben Affleck and I got Gordo. Not bad. I want and will settle for him, as well.
At like three AM New York time, midnight in California, we boarded and went on a different plane. Somehow, I ended up sitting next to Anna in the middle of the plane, in the middle section.
We talked and there was a movie. This flight was supposed to be four hours long. The movie ended up being "A Walk to Remember" and after that, Anna and I talked. We talked about everything in Europe and developed a list of memories that we will keep, and wrote them all down.from meeting at the airport to Monica to boys. . .its all in the list. Someday, when we are graduating and seniors, and this trip is just completely a blur, this list will be looked at.
I fell asleep eventually, and woke up again, and talked to Kate, who was on my other side, and we landed at four AM this morning. In Europe, it is one in the afternoon. Again, we were told to stay in our seats, as the first class people have to get off, then the business class, and then us, so I gazed at Gordo, who grinned back at me and gave me a wink. I smiled. Wow, I am making so much sense because I am so tired. It sounds like I slept a lot on the airplane, but come on, it was broken sleep, and I am really tired right now.
We finally got off the plane, gathered our bags and boarded the bus, which would take us to school where our parents would pick us up. I was about three hours away from seeing my parents and Matt. I did get them all something, didn't I? Oh, yeah, I did. (You can never be too sure) The bus took us to school, and in the bus, we passed our city, our town, and buildings that were more modern and America. These buildings were part of my everyday drive when in America, yet now, for some reason, this town I am in seems like the past, and yet I saw them twelve days ago.
It was five by the time we reached the school. Once there, some slept, while others hung out and others called their parents, while others watched movies. We were all given a program that I guess mimics a yearbook in the sense that it has our pictures and e-mail addresses, and places for people to sign. I got most everybody to sign mine, and I signed everyone's who asked, and then I sat in a corner, and only semi-watched the movie playing, as I kind of starred at the wall, thinking about change.
Have I changed in the past ten days? I think I have. I certainly feel more cultured, and have more of a sense of myself. I have to say that the most changed person on this trip would probably be Kate. I hope she will remain my friend throughout high school.
As I sat, pondering all this stuff, I was interrupted when Gordo came and sat next to me.
"Hey, what are you thinking about?"
"Nothing much. . .just this trip and whether it has changed me as a person," I replied.
Gordo grinned. "Lizzie, of course you changed. We all changed, mostly for the better."
"You think we really changed? Permanently? I mean. These new friends are friends now, but what about when school starts. What about us and our relationship?"
"Lizzie, I can't tell you right now what will happen in the future, but I can say this. Europe is said to do magical things to people. Maybe because you had more time to think on this trip than you would regularly, things seem to come more together on this trip, but I think otherwise. We saw a beautiful place, Lizzie. A place you might never see again. A place that pictures and memories will have to do right now. Don't look at this trip as a school trip, look at it for what it was; a journey. Once in a lifetime experiences happened there, that won't be the same if they happen here. Do you see what I am saying?"
I nodded my head lightly. That made sense. I mean, for as tired as I am, that actually made sense. I eventually fell asleep and woke up to the sound of people and a camera and sudden brightness.
I opened my eyes to find my mom, dad, as well as Matt standing there and looking at me. I looked around and realized that I fell asleep on Gordo's shoulder, and his head was on mine. My mom just took a picture.
"Good morning, sunshine," my mom said.
I yawned. "Good morning"
"Welcome back," my dad said.
"Right back at you," I said, squinting my eyes, still adapting to the brightness of the morning, which I hadn't seen in nineteen hours.
Gordo woke up too and yawned. It was 8:15 in the morning.
My parents asked Gordo if he enjoyed the trip, and he said he did, and my parents explained that they were taking him home.
We took our time getting our stuff, and said good-bye to the people still there, and packed our stuff in my dad's SUV.
In the car ride, my parents asked for an elaboration of details for our trip. And so we told them, Gordo and I looked at each other from time to time and smiled. We talked about the art and history in Europe and our favorite bits.
A few minutes later we dropped Gordo off, in fact I walked him to his door, and I hugged him, and told him I would call him later.
When I came back to the car, my mom and dad looked at me, then at each other and then back at me. My mom then said, "Did something happen in Europe between you and Gordo?"
THE END
That's all folks
Disclaimer: Sigh. I own nobody. Do you have to rub it in my face?
Chapter 32
Finally Home
23 June 2002
Okay, so I ended up watching the in flight movie, Harry Potter, and slept most of the time, an when I wasn't sleeping I wrote a poem about the experience in Europe using this handy dandy journal as help, and well, perhaps I will share it with you.
Goodbye Hill Ridge, Hello France
I left my parents and took a chance
This experience will always be in my head,
Especially the light that lit the bed.
Was a celebrity really on the plane?
Did it ever really rain?
Some of the trip is already getting fuzzy.
I learned parts of a language without using Muzzy!
Gordo and I are now together.
The only question now is, will it last forever?
Everyone is dating
Life is complicating
I climbed a tower and an arch,
And walked in the dark.
I am now familiarized with foreign banks
Now, theirs euros, forget the francs.
I saw more than one church,
While the statues lurched.
We visited the Louvre
That I can prove.
Overnight we went on a train
And stopped in Spain
Oh, and there, it did rain.
Sarah turned fourteen.
Another church or two was seen.
Then a museum or two
And some churches, too
I avoided a bullfight
Because I feel that it isn't right.
Gordo met some Spanish girl
Who, to me, looked like a squirrel,
We saw some dancing,
And continued romancing,
We traveled to Rome after that
And ate food and got fat
We toured ancient buildings and places
That once led Olympian races.
We ate bunches of pizza and pasta
Gordo admitted he missed his matza.
We learned about Donatello and Raphael,
And of course I tripped and fell
I love gelato
And have a new motto
"When in Rome, Do as the Romans" they say.
"Throw and coin in the Trevi fountain, and you will be back one day"
I ascended the Spanish steps with flow,
By now you should know
The trip wasn't over yet,
And Italian boy I met,
Yet that happens not yet.
I saw Vatican City, that is separate from Rome
I saw the paintings and a huge dome.
Now is a day
I went to Pompeii
And had a strange day
The story involves Kate
Which is why we were late
The boy I mentioned before
Helped us some more
He picked up my passport
His English words were short
We just left Roma and all of Italia
And even Europa
It seems like months and even a year
But now, the end is near
Life was so easy
My hair feels so greasy
In ways I'm sad
In others I'm glad
Home is not far away
I'll see America today.
)_)_)_)_)_
Okay, yeah, I know, its like really kinda lame, that poem, but hey, it took time, and when I am famous, this poem will be published, and translated into like thirty languages, and maybe, some will be on somebody's epitaph.
Okay, so maybe not, but hey you never know.
After that, I slept a little, talked to Gordo, played a card game with Gordo, and watching another movie, Return To Me. I then made a friendship bracelet, and talked to Miranda, who was behind me. No famous people were on the flight this time, although there was a guy on the flight that looked a lot like Tim Allen, only fatter and balder, but that doesn't count.
I slept more, ate some of my snacks and was woken up by Gordo, who said we were about to land. I looked down, and I saw the Atlantic Ocean with a few distant dots that were islands and a distant line of land, that must have been New York.
Wow, it is six a.m.. . .no wait, its midnight here in New York, and nine in the evening in California. This means, my parents are probably like sitting around right this moment watching TV or something, and no where near tiredness, while I am so tired, and that coach airplane thing really isn't comfortable. So, here we are, midnight . . .no nine o'clock.I don't know, I went ahead and reset my watch to nine, so I wouldn't have to do it again when I got home.
Even though our flight was like fifteen minutes late, we still had time to sit around and eat. Man, at this point I was starving, so I ate some meat, and then we went through customs and baggage claim and got a new airplane tag thing, and then we went to our gate. I would see my mom in less than twelve hours. While waiting for our flight, we hung around the gate and played cards, and talked, in fact, everyone talked. We played the "want, settle get" game for a while. Hehe. I want Tom Cruise. I will settle for Ben Affleck and I got Gordo. Not bad. I want and will settle for him, as well.
At like three AM New York time, midnight in California, we boarded and went on a different plane. Somehow, I ended up sitting next to Anna in the middle of the plane, in the middle section.
We talked and there was a movie. This flight was supposed to be four hours long. The movie ended up being "A Walk to Remember" and after that, Anna and I talked. We talked about everything in Europe and developed a list of memories that we will keep, and wrote them all down.from meeting at the airport to Monica to boys. . .its all in the list. Someday, when we are graduating and seniors, and this trip is just completely a blur, this list will be looked at.
I fell asleep eventually, and woke up again, and talked to Kate, who was on my other side, and we landed at four AM this morning. In Europe, it is one in the afternoon. Again, we were told to stay in our seats, as the first class people have to get off, then the business class, and then us, so I gazed at Gordo, who grinned back at me and gave me a wink. I smiled. Wow, I am making so much sense because I am so tired. It sounds like I slept a lot on the airplane, but come on, it was broken sleep, and I am really tired right now.
We finally got off the plane, gathered our bags and boarded the bus, which would take us to school where our parents would pick us up. I was about three hours away from seeing my parents and Matt. I did get them all something, didn't I? Oh, yeah, I did. (You can never be too sure) The bus took us to school, and in the bus, we passed our city, our town, and buildings that were more modern and America. These buildings were part of my everyday drive when in America, yet now, for some reason, this town I am in seems like the past, and yet I saw them twelve days ago.
It was five by the time we reached the school. Once there, some slept, while others hung out and others called their parents, while others watched movies. We were all given a program that I guess mimics a yearbook in the sense that it has our pictures and e-mail addresses, and places for people to sign. I got most everybody to sign mine, and I signed everyone's who asked, and then I sat in a corner, and only semi-watched the movie playing, as I kind of starred at the wall, thinking about change.
Have I changed in the past ten days? I think I have. I certainly feel more cultured, and have more of a sense of myself. I have to say that the most changed person on this trip would probably be Kate. I hope she will remain my friend throughout high school.
As I sat, pondering all this stuff, I was interrupted when Gordo came and sat next to me.
"Hey, what are you thinking about?"
"Nothing much. . .just this trip and whether it has changed me as a person," I replied.
Gordo grinned. "Lizzie, of course you changed. We all changed, mostly for the better."
"You think we really changed? Permanently? I mean. These new friends are friends now, but what about when school starts. What about us and our relationship?"
"Lizzie, I can't tell you right now what will happen in the future, but I can say this. Europe is said to do magical things to people. Maybe because you had more time to think on this trip than you would regularly, things seem to come more together on this trip, but I think otherwise. We saw a beautiful place, Lizzie. A place you might never see again. A place that pictures and memories will have to do right now. Don't look at this trip as a school trip, look at it for what it was; a journey. Once in a lifetime experiences happened there, that won't be the same if they happen here. Do you see what I am saying?"
I nodded my head lightly. That made sense. I mean, for as tired as I am, that actually made sense. I eventually fell asleep and woke up to the sound of people and a camera and sudden brightness.
I opened my eyes to find my mom, dad, as well as Matt standing there and looking at me. I looked around and realized that I fell asleep on Gordo's shoulder, and his head was on mine. My mom just took a picture.
"Good morning, sunshine," my mom said.
I yawned. "Good morning"
"Welcome back," my dad said.
"Right back at you," I said, squinting my eyes, still adapting to the brightness of the morning, which I hadn't seen in nineteen hours.
Gordo woke up too and yawned. It was 8:15 in the morning.
My parents asked Gordo if he enjoyed the trip, and he said he did, and my parents explained that they were taking him home.
We took our time getting our stuff, and said good-bye to the people still there, and packed our stuff in my dad's SUV.
In the car ride, my parents asked for an elaboration of details for our trip. And so we told them, Gordo and I looked at each other from time to time and smiled. We talked about the art and history in Europe and our favorite bits.
A few minutes later we dropped Gordo off, in fact I walked him to his door, and I hugged him, and told him I would call him later.
When I came back to the car, my mom and dad looked at me, then at each other and then back at me. My mom then said, "Did something happen in Europe between you and Gordo?"
THE END
That's all folks