Downsize, Papa

We had a bon voyage soiree last night for some Outward Bound friends who are moving to Flagstaff, Arizona. This couple has been with the school for many years, but after their winter of caretaking at Cedar Rock, they decided that it was time to go west like little pioneers.

They are now on their way, and I have a funny image of the journey in a Toyota Avalon. Squeezed into this car are:

young man,

young woman,

young man's old father,

young woman's old dog.

Here's a picture of Harrison, the old dog:

Young man's father is living with the couple. He is from the Dominican Republic and doesn't speak any English.

The young man (who used to live at a Zen Buddhist monestary) was telling me last night, "We sent a box of things out to Arizona and we might mail one more. (M'lady) got rid of a lot of stuff that she didn't use anymore and I don't have that much. My dad came here from the Dominican Republic with just a suitcase and a duffel bag. But he doesn't wear all the things that he brought. So I just asked him, 'Why are you carrying all this stuff around with you? Do you need it all?' He gave most of his stuff to Goodwill and then didn't need the suitcase anymore."

While laughing, I asked for clarification, "You are saying that he only brought a duffel bag and a suitcase, and you were giving him slack about having too many things?"

"Yep. Now he just has half a duffel bag full..."