I woke up with tears falling from my eyes, a deep longing in my chest that kept my breath from coming and a tightly woven blend of overwhelming love, heartbreaking loss and grief stricken sadness pounding in my heart. He came to me in my dream…FINALLY after wishing for months to see him again. It was so frustratingly brief, seeing him wearing a red top. Was it a niners t-shirt or jersey? It may have been, but I’m not sure because my focus was distracted by his sunglasses, a black heavy plastic pair that hid his eyes and more of his face than it should, which made me immediately think “Those are weird ass sunglasses!”. I hurriedly dismissed that thought, realizing how long it has been since he came to me in my dreams, knowing that the very thought of being aware it was a dream would mean my time with him was over before it even started, with me waking up only seconds away. I rushed forward nearly tackling him to wrap my arms tightly in a desperate embrace thinking about how missing him has been a constant ache that never leaves, right before consciousness found me and the dream was over.
I knew it was no coincidence that the dream happened when it did, with my brother on my mind constantly since CES was finally here. I longed for another interaction with him and deep inside I think I knew I wouldn’t have to wait long.
After I got dressed and started the drive down to the strip, I thought of him and willed my heart open to feel him, hastily wiping tears away with one hand as my other gripped the steering wheel harder than it really should, as if I was clutching my heart bracing against the pain. Hoping with my inner thoughts to get a sign, one that I would actually recognize, that he would send to let me know he was with me as I explored many of the 4,400 booths spanning almost 3 million square feet along with 170,000 other attendees.
As I was caught in the traffic jam 2 blocks before the strip, barely moving several feet in 10 minutes, I tried to calm my irritation building. Finally approaching the stoplight to cross Las Vegas Blvd another 10 minutes later, I realize I need to get over to the right lane to make the first right turn into the Palazzo underground parking lot after crossing the strip. Without looking over, I know this may not be as easy at is seems because cars are bumper to bumper. I’ve witnessed many inching forward, when cars in another lane switch their turn signal on, trying to prevent any further delay to their destination. I think to myself, like another minute or two is really going to make a huge difference at this rate, wishing humanity would be more considerate in general. This mass of cars, undoubtedly a majority of which have the same destination as mine are spilling into and blocking the intersection even after the lights change to yellow and red. Like them for the past 20 minutes, I could see my destination is just past the large intersection.
I mutter and plead under my breath without a second thought since it is not uncommon for me to talk out loud to my brother, “Kid, give me an opening here.” In quick response, the car to my right stays stopped exactly where it was, not proceeding with the rest of the multiple lanes of traffic released by the green light and allows at least 2 car lengths of space open for me before finally moving forward, allowing me to easily get into the right lane.
THANKS KID! I smile big and am underground parking my car before I know it, fully aware he was letting me know he’s obviously with me. He knows I hold him even closer to my heart at this time because CES is the annual event he introduced me to in the first place. And I know with his sign to me that he will always be by my side reveling and enjoying the latest tech and gadgets with me whenever I attend CES.
GGibberish 