The Ferry ride from San Francisco to Vallejo

Vallejo, California

November 4th, 2017

The sun is drowning in spools of cotton, thread-like and so silvery that none would mistake them for fluffy Autumn clouds.

Almost by design, there is only some sunlight that is directly shining. And in the pale blue sea of California, it is casting a spotlight on my little ferry.

But here I am: a little girl from the mountains who dreamt with eyes wide open about seas and small ferries and fluffy clouds. Yet, now that I am here, my eyes hover over a small glass screen. And I am taking the views for granted.

It reminds me of the quote from “Brother In The Land”, something similar to what I am feeling right now: I used to keep the butter on the windowsill, waiting for a day to move it till the sun melted it away.

I walk the streets of San Francisco and Vallejo, so humble and colourful with shades of the past and the future alike; they host buildings with creaking fire escapes and towers with sliding glass doors. And in these streets, I see faces, so similar to my own, that waited a little too long to do things that they truly loved, and rushed towards things that never really brought them joy.

Maybe in the back of their minds, they too, are thinking about the butter they left on the windowsill a little too long.

But there is still a little glow in their eyes; for the next time that they purchased butter, they did not wait too long. Before the sun-or time- could melt it away, they savoured it…and did things that truly made them happy. 

The Ferry ride begins: Bay Bridge and the San Francisco ‘skyline’

Dedicated to akhuya Enes