Stories of Seattle
The light cast a glow over Maribel’s retirement home in San Antonio, Texas. The small, simple room where she now spent her days lit up in the golden sun. The walls held faded pictures of her younger self; dancing with friends, cradling her two children, and memories from her apartment. But now, after six and a half years in this building, she missed Ballard, the neighborhood she had left behind.
Maribel sat in her favorite armchair, a quilt draped over her lap, flipping through a worn photo album. Each page she turned she was reminded of a time when her body could move with ease. She traced the pictures with her fingers and felt the absence of the city she called home for so many years. Her two children knew that the energy of Seattle was still in her heart, even if she hadn’t been there in years. One day, after dinner with their mother, Ana and Daniel exchanged glances and made a secret plan, a surprise trip to Seattle.
“Mom, pack your bags,” Ana announced one Saturday morning, her eyes lit up with excitement. “We’re going home.”
The word sent a wave of nostalgia over Maribel, Memories of the salty ocean air, the sounds of seagulls on the pier, and the bustling market rushed through her mind. Yet doubt entered her mind. What if she didn’t recognize her old friends? What if they didn’t recognize her? The flight there was a mixture of anxiety and anticipation but upon arriving, the familiar Seattle drizzle greeted her like an old friend.
The first stop was Pike Place Market, where the vibrant flowers and fresh produce reminded her of home cooked meals in her small apartment in Ballard. They strolled past the fishmongers in the market where she used to run around as a child, and stopped at the crumpet shop indulging in freshly baked crumpets smeared with butter and raspberry jam.
As they approached a small vintage shop selling vintage comics and memorabilia, Maribel was shocked to see Aldo, the shop’s owner still working there. As they browsed, Maribel found a dusty comic blue beetle comic book featuring a superhero she loved as a child. Aldo, the shopkeeper noticed her excitement.
“You have a keen eye, my dear,” he said, handing her the comic. “This hero saved the city many times. Just like you saved your dreams by coming back.” Maribel smiled, feeling a spark of recognition.
As the day wore on, Maribel’s thoughts drifted to Clara, her childhood friend, who had always been there for her. She had heard news of Clara’s health problems in the past few years but they had lost touch. Maribel fought with the idea of going to visit her but wondered if Clara would even want to see her. Would she even recognize who Maribel was now?
“Mom,” Daniel said after Maribel had confessed her thoughts to her children, “you won’t know until you try. She’s your friend. Go see her.”
Maribel made the call. Clara’s voice trembled with surprise.
“Maribel? I can’t believe it! Yes, please come over.”
The next day, as she headed to Clara’s house, Maribel’s memories of their past flooded her mind. She was nervous that their friendship had changed too much over the years, that they wouldn’t have anything to talk about. When she arrived, Clara’s frail frame greeted Maribel at the door.
“Maribel! You haven’t changed a bit!”
They hugged, and in that moment, it seemed it didn’t matter that they hadn’t seen each other in almost seven years. Over lunch, they shared stories of their lives and what had happened in the time they hadn’t spoken. Clara talked about her children and her own struggles with aging, reminding them of the warmth their friendship held.
Maribel left Clara’s house with a new sense of hope. She returned to San Antonio with new memories to guide her future with. She decided to start a storytelling group at her retirement, as a way of connecting with others and trying to make new friends for the first time since moving. Maribel discovered that the feeling of her home wasn’t just in the places she had been but the connections that were made. Seattle would always be a part of her and this trip made her realize just that, which felt like the perfect way to spend what turned out to be her last visit to the city.