The Hands of Change

Mike, you be pimping man," Carlos said after bursting through the door of our Chalet and bear hugging me. His black hand flipped my hair which now touches my shoulders. He laughed. "You look like Jesus," Baruke told me at the restaurant. Baruke is Muslim so I'm not too certain if he really knows what Jesus looks like. But he is my friend and I made the sign of the cross with my fingers over his olive skin balding head. "Mike!" Martina exclaimed when we woke her up from her nap, taking a break from cleaning studios. Then she placed her black hand on my stomach. "You have a belly! You are happy!" I introduced her to Sarah. "Comos Deaaz," Angela laughed when she saw it was me. She'e tries to teach me Spanish when she's not cleaning and fails miserably. "You have belly," placing her black hand on my stomach like Martina had. "You are happy!". Then she hugged me and I introduced her to Sarah. At lunch yesterday, my friend Jan remarked, "It's so good to see you happy." At dinner last night, Denise flew down from heaven and gave me a hug and introduced herself to Sarah. It has been a full year since I've seen the people, though most of us keep up with one another. Obviously I've changed. Everyone seems to agree on this. And that makes me happier. Then at the Managers Wine and Cheese Party last night, Carlos pours Sarah and I cups of wine in a plastic cups After hugging Linda, the manager, and introducing her to Sarah, I pour the wine into a wine glass. I get Carlos' attention in the crowd and toast him. Busting out in laughter, he tells me, "You are the same Mike." and he hugs me. Then he gets all serious and asks, "When does Conner and Hugh arrive?" Grabbing my hair and putting it into a pony tail, I laugh. "Soon. Very soon." "Ai-yii-yii," he says slapping his forehead and walking away. The. Sarah and I dance under the stars. I am much different yet the same. At least everybody seems to think so. But I'll tell you something. This is as much fun as I've ever had.