How to keep track of where you’ve been: Ask
yourself how your water will taste.
I’ve traveled extensively in the past month, more
than a month. Of course I know where I’ve been when I’m fully lucid, but
sometimes I’m drowsy. It’s the sleepy afternoon and I would have to think about
it if I were asked. Or I’m just waking and I need a drink to assuage my parched
mouth. And so it became a game to me—I’d look over at my blue water bottle with
the Stop the Racism sticker on it that I picked up in London. I asked myself,
what will my water taste like? I don’t know, it depends on where I filled it up
last. Will it taste slightly of fresh earth? Will it taste chlorinated?
Sulfuric? Ireland, France, England, Belgium. Sometimes it took longer than
other times to remember.
This morning takes the longest of all because I’ve
traveled nonstop for many days. In the past 96 hours I’ve been in three different
French districts, four countries, and one US state. I stare at the blue water
bottle with bleary eyes. It’s scuffed up now, the sticker is showing signs of
wear. As I take a big gulp, and the tinge of chlorine settles at the back of my
tongue, I remember: fountain drink machines at a little gyro shop that sold more
chicken wings than gyros. Orlando.
