My boss just returned from three weeks in Cambodia and Vietnam. Well, actually 2 1/2 weeks strictly speaking, because when you are going to the complete opposite side of the world, there is much time wasted in traveling. Anyway, we were expecting him back in the office today, but as of early this morning his office door was open, but he wasn't in there. As the staff trickled in, everyone was like, "Is he back? Is he back? Where is he?" (In case it is not clear, we look forward to his return.) I went over to the ATM to get twenty bucks so I could buy breakfast (broke on Tuesday, that's sad) and ran into him. He'd gone to grand rounds on us.
I cannot even tell you how much better he looked. Smiling. Relaxed. Rested. Non-gray (a good color for gowns and hoodies, I maintain, but not complexions.) I remarked on this and he said that he wasn't in fact rested, that they'd been on the go the entire trip, walking, hiking, climbing. And I pointed out that that is *totally* different than being here, swamped with work and aggravation. Seriously, he looks five years younger.
It made me wonder whether, if I could take three weeks away from my normal life (yeah, right), the huge circles and bags under my eyes would disappear and my complexion would regain some of its youthful healthy flush. Barring some kind of miracle, I'm never gonna find out, but it's nice to think about! My advice to you: screw the groupon plastic surgeons and dermatologists and, if you can afford it, take a nice long vacation to somewhere you've never been in the company of family or friends that you actually like. Don't check your email very much while you do. Beauty treatment, yo!
xoxo
2 comments:
Yep, you did blow the joke (there, there).
I have a good friend who has been to Vietnam several times for semi-business, semi-pleasure. As a veteran and product of my times, I still get this strange little frisson when I hear of or speak to people who have taken this trip. Takes a while to shed the ghosts; it is a beautiful place when people aren't shooting at each other.
One thing E said was that the people were so very, very nice--not fake nice, like smiling as they take your money but really want to spit on you--but NICE. And I thought, well, that's remarkable considering what that part of the world's been thru over the past 50 years, you know?
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