I left My Heart in Canada

I sat at the Open Road Tours bus station eagerly awaiting the arrival of my good friend, who was visiting from Canada via a foreign exchange program. We had already gotten to know one another through sending e-mails back and forth and talking on the MSN messenger during the three months before his arrival. The smell of burning rubber was thick in the air and the fumes of passing vehicles made me cough as they passed by me ever so often. Neither of these things bothered me. I was determined to wait at the bus stop until my friend arrived, no matter how uncomfortable I felt.

The sun was burning a hole in my long sleeve shirt and my two friends, John and Erin, were nervously twitching on either side of me. Every once and a while they would exchange glances with one another and then stare at me, hoping I would say something to break the awkward silence between us. I was too caught up in my own thoughts to respond so they would shrug and go back to shifting uncomfortably in their seats beside me.

After this went on for a while, I caught a glimpse of a white bus with purple and green words etched into the side that said “Open Road Tours” and a big smile crept over my face. When it pulled into the parking lot, I jumped out of my seat on the wooden bench, nearly causing John and Erin to fall over in shock.

I almost gave them a heart attack when I suddenly yelled, “Look! The bus is here!”

John and Erin gazed at the bus with a sort of dazed curiosity as it came to a stop in front of the bench and the doors flung wide open revealing the people inside. The first to step out of the bus was an old lady who was wearing heavy makeup and an odd smelling body spray that had the aroma of old cherries and men’s cologne. I contemplated what was worse; the gas fumes of the passing cars or the lady’s perfume as she walked by me and grabbed her luggage out of the back of the bus.

The next to step off the bus was a short, stalky man. He had a receding hairline and was whistling “There is no Arizona,” as he walked passed me to retrieve his belongings from the back of the bus. I wondered what had motivated him to whistle that tune as he walked passed me. A Casablanca-like story played back in my mind. I pictured the man being left alone on a lonely shoreline as his love drove off into the sunset never to be seen again. I guess John was thinking along the same lines because no sooner had I contemplated the man’s marital status he made the comment that the man had probably recently got dumped. He said this a bit too loud.

Before I could warn John that the man was right behind him it was too late. He turned around to find the man frowning. The man gave John an irritated look before walking inside the visitor’s center, pulling his luggage behind him forcefully. Erin and I couldn’t help keep it in and burst out laughing. John gave us both a stern look and crossed his arms over his chest. He was never serious so it made the situation even funnier. After laughing a while John joined in too. It was just as we suspected; John had been playing the situation up to make us laugh. That was so typical of him.

I was so caught up with John’s unique brand of humor that I forgot to watch for my friend. I panicked and switched my gaze to the bus doors that were now closed. I saw a group of people at the end of the bus, retrieving their personal affects. After letting my gaze fall over each of the people I finally met eyes with my friend and a smile emerged from deep within. His emerald colored eyes seemed to glisten in the sunlight and his dark brown hair that fell around his face in a messy fashion was blowing gently in the wind.

He held a navy blue suitcase in his hands that was pressed up against his red, short-sleeved shirt. His khaki pants hugged his lanky legs and bulged on one side where he kept his wallet. His lips were drawn into a wide smile that stretched from one ear to the other and his tan skin seemed to glitter in the sunlight as he opened his arms and ran toward me. I laughed merrily and I ran toward him with my arms extended as well. He scooped me up in his large arms when I met him half way and we gave each other a deep embrace.

When I let go he looked me in the eyes and said, “Could…I have another one?”

I grinned and gave him one of my famous bear hugs. I was so happy that I almost forgot that John and Erin were standing there. The realization hit me like a ton of bricks and I let go of my friend promptly.

Clearing my throat I said; “This is Ken. He’s the foreign exchange student that I’ve been telling you about.”

Ken waved at John and Erin and then shook both of their hands. After greeting them, he paused for a moment to look at my friends. I followed his eyes to the messy, flame colored hair of John and I chuckled. Then I watched as his eyes pass over the spiked brown hair of Erin. His eyes seemed to be filled with interest at the contrast in physical traits between the two.

John seemed very interested in Ken’s physical traits as well. I watched as his eyes followed Ken’s lanky figure up to his broad shoulders. Erin seemed amused at something and smirked at me as I stood next to Ken.

“I just realized how short you are. Ken must be at least six feet. You’re only about five foot, aren’t you? It’s like a human standing next to a dwarf! Of course you don’t have a beard. Or do you?”

Erin inspected my face for whiskers and I promptly whacked him on the head. John burst out laughing and Ken looked at us all like we were aliens from another planet. A closer look at his face revealed a smile and a happiness that seemed to resonate from his eyes. I could tell that he was going to fit in just fine.

With a grin on my face I took Ken’s luggage and slung it over my back like a sack of potatoes. After socializing for a few more minutes we made our way back to Erin’s car and headed back to my house on Drury Road. When we walked through the doorway, Ken was greeted by my mom and dad who shook his hand and gave him a hug.

“So you are the boy Alice has been telling us so much about?”

Ken grinned.

“Yes. I’m very excited to be here. And it’s very nice to meet you both!”

Mom tapped Ken on the shoulder and gave him a wink.

“No problem. You two are probably going to get very well acquainted while you stay here so we might as well get used to it.”

I blushed.

“Mom, you know we’re just friends!”

Mom chuckled.

“Yeah, you are friends now. Just watch; one day it will lead to something else.”

My cheeks turned a crimson red color and Ken chuckled. I looked up at him and he was smiling. It made me wonder what he was thinking at that very moment. But I didn’t have much time to reflect.

My sister came running up the stairs and gave Ken a hug.

With a grin on her face she yelled in a sing song voice, “Big brother!”

Ken hugged my sister back and replied, “Little sister!”

When we had talked over the messenger we had come to the conclusion that he was my sister’s surrogate brother. My sister liked the idea of having a big brother from another country and they became fast friends. The idea of my little sister and best friend having a close relationship brought a smile to my face. It was something out of a dream. Everything was going perfectly. My family and friends were as happy to see him as I was and he was finally in my home town.

After spending the rest of the night celebrating his arrival the two of us hit the sack. We had to be well rested for our trip to the Grand Canyon the following morning so we went to bed early to get an early start. We spent the rest of the week visiting all of the local natural wonders and getting to know one another better. As the week drew to a close I found myself slowly starting to fall in love with him. He was everything that I had ever wanted in a boyfriend, lover and true friend. I never wanted our time together to end.

Our visit with one another moved by as quickly as the changing seasons and the time came when he had to leave. Even though I had yet to visit his family in Canada I felt a deep sadness in my heart. I knew after my visit was over I would never see him again. He had his own life to live and I was college bound. There was no way we could have a life with one another. After all, in the eyes of our parents we were too young to be in love. So we had little chance of having a long lasting relationship. Even so I wanted to believe that we could be together so I kept the idea of us being apart as far from my mind as day keeps itself from the night.

It was a cloudy morning when we waited for the bus to come. I stared at the mountains glowing with an eerie light from the morning mist in the distance. I knew that it was the last time I’d see the mountains until I got back from my trip, so I said a quick goodbye to them and then said a quick prayer. Ken and I remained silent as the bus pulled into the parking lot and opened its doors.

When it came to a complete stop, the two of us exchanged glances and then boarded it, stopping briefly to show our tickets to the driver. When the middle aged man wearing sunglasses was finished inspecting our tickets he lead us to a seat that had a southwestern pattern sewn into it and a wad of green gum underneath. He told us that it was our seat and I sat down in it. Ken helped me put my suitcase in the baggage compartment above and after putting his own suitcase in he closed it and came to sit by me.

We said little as the bus headed down to Phoenix. I knew we were thinking the same thing. We only had one more week with one another and then it would be over. Was there no way that we could see each other again? Why couldn’t he just stay here with me? Questions like these floated through my mind, like autumn leaves down a tranquil river. When I thought of the logical answer I felt my stomach tie itself in a thick knot. I didn’t want to think of being away from my beloved so I tried to dwell on other things. Ken must have seen the tears in my eyes because he held my hand at that very moment.

“Don’t worry. You and I will always be best friends. Always…”

As Ken said these words I felt my worries drift away. With him by my side everything felt so safe and secure. Feeling encouraged by his words, I forgot my apprehension and we had a pleasant conversation the rest of the trip.

In Phoenix we boarded an airplane that took us to Cincinnati. The flight went by quickly, especially since there were so many interesting landmarks to view below. Looking out of the airplane’s window made me feel like I was a giant looking down at a Lego set. When I was a kid I remember wanting to reach down and play with the trees and houses that seemed tiny enough to fit in my hands. As we passed over rolling green hill sides and sapphire bodies of water shining in the afternoon sun I tried to picture Canada in my mind. I wondered if it was as beautiful as the pictures I had seen in National Geographic. Then I thought of Ken’s family. I wondered what they looked like and if they had the stereotypical Canadian accents. I had already caught Ken saying “aboot” and “eh” several times, even though he insisted that Canadians didn’t talk that way. Every time he said the words is made me chuckle. It was just one more reason to love him.

It was ten o’clock when we arrived at the Bangor Maine Airport. The stars had just come out of hiding and the moon hitched a ride on the back of our airplane until we came to a complete stop at air hanger C-5. We exited the plane and were greeted by Ken’s parents who welcomed us with open arms.

They were both very different than I had pictured them. Ken’s mother was tall and had curly brown hair. She had a slender face and stalky body. She had warm, brown eyes and slightly chubby arms that jiggled when she flung them up to give us a hug. His father was tall and had straight, black hair that had patches of white throughout it. He had a slender face that looked similar to his wife’s except that he had thin lips and a stubby nose. His mother’s lips were full and her nose was thin and delicate. While his mother was slightly chubby, is father was very slender. He had frosty green eyes and the same lanky arms that Ken had. It was then that I saw where Ken got most of his features. He was the spitting image of his father.

After greeting his parents we stayed in nearby hotel for the night. In the morning we drove to the border and bought alcohol and cigarettes for Ken’s grandmother who used to be a lumberjack but still enjoyed her hard liquor and daily smoke. I guess some habits die hard. Ken and I had to claim the wine, beer and cigarettes since we had both been in the United States longer than a week. His parents drove up to the border control and we stopped at the booth. The man asked me how long I was going to stay in Canada and if I was brining anything into the country. I rolled down the window, exposing the mountain of cigarettes and alcohol underneath my feet.

“I’d like to claim this please.”

The man gave me a weird look and counted the items. He asked for my I.D. and raised an eyebrow.

“Well, you the legal age anyway. I guess you check out. You are all free to pass.”

Ken and I laughed as the man let us pass with a bewildered look on his face. To this day, I’m sure the man is telling stories to his family about the crazy American who brought a bunch of alcohol and cigarettes across the border into Canada.

An hour passed and we reached Ken’s home town. I fell in love it the moment I saw it. It was everything I hoped it would be. All those National Geographic magazines had been right on the money. Canada was simply breathtaking. It seemed like we passed a body of water every five minutes. The land filled with rolling green hills and trees that dotted the countryside. Ken’s house rested on a cliff that overlooked one of the largest rivers I had ever seen. I felt like I was a commoner visiting a grand palace, even though his house was a modest size. It was like viewing a picture in a fairy tale book. Everything seemed so surreal.

When I went inside his house I was greeted by his sister who looked very much like a younger version of his mother. She had long brown hair and hazel eyes. She had the same lips and refined nose as her mother and was tall like her father. Unlike my family, I could see the resemblance between each of them. They all seemed to fit together perfectly, like a jigsaw puzzle. Each one complimented the other.

I formed a quick friendship with his sister. Just like my sister viewed Ken as being her big brother, Ken’s sister Joan viewed me as being her big sister. It felt nice having someone else who looked up to me and we hit it off right from the start. Then I met Ken’s grandmother and the first thing she asked was if we brought her the “goods.” I laughed and said that they were in the back seat of the car.

Ken’s Gran smiled and said, “I like her. She’s not civilized and prissy like some of the other girls around here. I think she’s a keeper.”

She winked at Ken and he blushed. Seeing Ken blush made me smile in spite of myself. It made me wonder what he could possibly be thinking to make him blush like that. But before I could dwell too much on the situation my thoughts were interrupted once more.

Ken’s friend Jason and his family came over and we spent the rest of the night celebrating my arrival with them. Jason and Ken’s mother had a little bit too much to drink and ended up telling us loopy stories by the end of the night. It’s a moment that I will never forget.

I turned in early because we had the rest of the week to do exiting things and I was already exhausted from the jet lag. I woke the next morning to hear Ken singing in the shower. I heard his mother saying to his father that he had never done that before and that he must be very happy if he decided to start up his music career in the shower. The comment made me chuckle and I sighed with content. Could it be that I was really making him that happy? The idea gave me a warm feeling inside. I was happy that I could have such a positive impact on someone’s life.

We spent the rest of the week visiting all of the places of interest in his city and taking a trip out to his summer camp. When we weren’t taking in the scenery or boating on the water we were satisfying our hunger in one of the local restaurants or bars. He had to work while I visited, so I had a chance to explore the farmer’s marker where he was employed. It was a unique blend of Asian and American venders who had fruit stands, gift shops and other assorted shops set up in one big building. The subtle smells of noodles, Italian sauce and milk shakes permeated the air awakening all my senses and strangely making me feel at home. Every time I visited the market, it seemed like I bought some kind of food. But I’m not complaining. That was probably some of the best food I have ever tasted.

The week drew to a close and it was time for me to go home. The realization that I had to leave Ken and his family cut into my heart, like scissors into paper. For the first time in my life I had truly felt like I belonged somewhere. Now I had to go back to my family where I felt adopted, if anything else.

My visit to Canada had really opened my eyes to a new way of life. Leaving the closeness of his family, the beautiful scenery and my love for Ken behind was more than I could bear. But despite how I was feeling on the inside, I kept silent. I didn’t want Ken to know that my heart was breaking so I kept a smile on my face as we headed to the Bangor Maine airport. His father was driving us and we remained silent most of the way there. When his father pulled into the Bangor Maine Airport parking lot I glanced over to unclasp my seatbelt and I saw tears in Ken’s eyes. When he saw me glancing over he wiped his eyes and quickly got out of the car. On our way into the airport he held my hand and didn’t let go until we got inside.

It was 10:45 in the morning and my plane was waiting for me in the hanger. I gave Ken a long embrace and thanked his father for his hospitality before I made my descent onto the airplane. I waved one final time before walking up the boardwalk up to my seat. When I looked behind me Ken had a weak smile on his face and sadness written deep in his eyes. He was trying to act happy but I could tell that he was not. I longed to embrace him one more time but I was afraid that I would miss my plane. I turned around and kept walking forward until I got to my seat, resisting the desire to look back. I knew that if I did I would never want to leave.

I arrived in Phoenix at midnight. Erin was there to pick me up and asked me if I enjoyed my trip.

With tears in my eyes I relied, “This has been the happiest two weeks of my life.”

Erin smiled and then asked; “So do you think you’ll visit him again?”

Everything seemed to move in slow motion when he asked that question. My heart beat slowed and the memories of my trip to Canada danced around my head gracefully, like ballroom dancers who know all of the steps and keep in perfect rhythm with the music.

After I was silent for a while Erin repeated the question. I shook myself out of my daydreaming and shrugged.

“I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to see him again but I’ll always remember the time we had together.”

Erin gave me a hug.

“Don’t worry. I’m sure everything will work out. If you guys are really best friends you guys will find away to meet each other again. There is no doubt in my mind.”

I laughed and smiled at Erin warmly.

“You are right. I shouldn’t worry so much. Let’s go get my luggage.”

Erin nodded and we headed off to the baggage carousels to claim my suitcase.

As I waited for it to appear on the carousel I thought about my trip to Canada and all of the people that I met who had impacted my life in such a profound way. I knew that they would always have a special place in my heart and that my trip to Canada would be something I would never forget. After claiming my luggage Erin and I headed back to Flagstaff and my trip had officially come to an end.

It’s been three years since my trip to Canada but I will never forget the way Ken made me feel or way he inspired me to never give up on my dreams. It’s funny how something as simple as a trip to a foreign country can change your life. Though I may never see Ken or his family again, the lessons they taught about life and about myself will never fade. With enough luck maybe I’ll cross paths with Ken again sometime in the future. Until that day comes I will keep the memory of our visit together fresh in my mind and my love for him deep in my heart. Somewhere along the path of life, the two of us met and changed the direction of our individual destinies forever.

Ken may never know that I fell in love with him that day on the Open Road Tours bus but sometimes it is best to keep your feelings locked away. I value our friendship enough to keep the love I had for him a secret. We might not be able to see each other for a long time but I will keep having faith that one day our paths will cross again.

The words Ken told me continue to inspire me to this day. Whether we end up with each other or not in the future he will always have a special place in my heart along with the unforgettable memories we shared that summer.