Home is where your Heart is

Six Years Later

Sammy closed down the corner store for the day for the first time in twenty five years and the whole town celebrated when we got home. After that day, my team and I were known as hometown heroes. The large trophy we won was put in a trophy case, displayed proudly outside the school office.

Even though the season was over, my team and I remained a team. We still got together after they worked to go on runs, Dad following on a bike. He eventually bought his own. Thanks to our winning State, there was new interest in Cross Country among the girls the next year. Enough to form a team. I no longer had an excuse to be on the boys team so I had to run with the girls. The boys team stayed the same with the addition of a new member to take my place. As much as I liked my new teammates, I missed my old ones and I knew they missed me. It just didn't feel the same. And as good as we were we didn't win that year's State Championship although we came close.

After we graduated from McFarland High School, all the boys went to college which is something none of them imagined they would do before my dad came along. We didn't all go to the same college, but we continued running and ran for the colleges we attended. Thomas commuted from the College of the Sequoias. I went to one that was a little farther away and didn't commute. The distance eventually killed our relationship. We loved each other still, but we barely saw each other anymore so it was a mutual agreement between us to break up.

Jamie and my parents visited me a lot when I got my own apartment in Los Angeles after college and I still visited them in McFarland, but a lot less than I would have liked. I earned degrees in teaching and became an elementary school teacher. I loved working with little kids. But as good as I was doing in life, it just didn't feel right. There was something missing.

I finally realized what it was when I went running one late Saturday afternoon. The sun was setting and there was a small breeze that cooled my hot and sweaty face. It reminded me of one afternoon with my dad and the boys that first year. We were taking a break after hill training on the almond hulls. We sat in a circle on top of one of the tarp covered piles, relaxing in the glow of the setting sun. It was so peaceful and beautiful. The memory was so vivid I could practically smell the McFarland soil and almonds. I knew right then on the streets of Los Angeles that all I wanted was to go home. I wanted to reconnect with the boys and see what had become of them.

I could start with Jose who was the closest. He was somewhere in L.A. as well, writing for the Los Angeles Times, although I had never seen him or talked to him. I frequently saw his name in the paper. I found his number the next day and called him.

"Hello?"

I couldn't help but smile when I heard his voice. It was the first time in about three or four years that I heard it. We had all tried to keep in touch, but as our futures took us in all different directions, we drifted apart. "Hey Jose, it's Julie White."

"Julie?" I almost laughed at his astonishment. "Wow, how are you, chica?"

"I'm doing good. I can see you are too. You've gone from being a picker to a writer for the Los Angeles Times. Good for you!"

"Thank you. Are you in Los Angeles now?"

"I've been in Los Angeles. I'm a teacher at the Los Angeles Elementary School. I just thought it has been a really long time and it was about time I reached out."

"I am so glad you did. Do you want to meet me for lunch? We can catch up."

"I would love to."

I met Jose at a small grinder place and I hardly recognized him when I saw him. Gone was the scraggly mop of hair, holey jeans, baggy t-shirts and taped up sneakers. His hair was now neatly trimmed and combed back and his clothes and shoes were nice. I gave him a big hug and then we sat down at a small booth by the window, looking out over the street.

"You look great Julie. How's your family? Blanco still teaching and coaching Cross Country?"

I laughed. "Everyone's well. Jamie will start her sophomore year this year at the high school. The town threw her a quinceañera last year. Yes, Dad is still coaching and he is still called Blanco by his students and colleagues." Jose chuckled too.

"Can you believe it's been five years since we were in high school together?"

I smiled softly. "I know. I think back on how we all started and I just have to laugh. We were all misfits. I was a white girl in a town made up of mostly Mexicans. Thomas was getting into fights every day. Victor had a smart mouth, an ego and overconfidence in his good looks. Damacio and Danny kept to themselves most of the time. Johnny was the small kid on the football team that took the worst hits until that Jerk Jenks cut him from the team."

"And I was the invisible one. At least I thought I was until Jerk Jenks caught me trying to steal change from the vending machine." Jose joked.

"I've been missing home. I'm considering moving there and getting a job at one of the schools. Want to go up with me, see if we can find the rest of our team?"

"Sure, that sounds like a great idea."

We made plans and then I a week later I picked up Jose so we could go together. When we entered the little town and saw the all too familiar buildings and streets, we smiled at the fond memories that came with the sights. I dropped him off at his parents' house and then I went home on Cliff Avenue.

Jamie ran outside when I pulled into the driveway. "Julie!" She tackled me with a hug the moment I got out of the car.

"It's good to see you too." I laughed. We went inside and I hugged my parents. Dad sat down at the kitchen table and I sat with him.

"So I made some calls and Kern has an opening for you. They want you to go see them tomorrow morning. You can stay here while you look for a house."

"That's fantastic Dad, thank you. So have you kept in touch with the team? Where is everyone?"

"Well, Danny is a guidance counselor at the high school now. Johnny is teaching sixth grade gym at the middle school. Damacio has joined the police department. Victor runs his own garage and he fixes up cars. And Thomas is a Correctional Officer at the Kern Valley State Prison. He coaches the track club at the middle school as well."

"So they are all here in McFarland and they are all doing well."

"Yes they are."

"Cool, I guess I will have to see if I can find them. I will have to drop by the corner store too and see Sammy. Is Sonia still working there too?"

"She is."

"Alright then. I will be back for dinner."