The Aunties (Part II)

19 June 2012

May I introduce Guardian Angel #2.

GA2 has been quite my savior. Thus far she has walked me to bus stops, ridden with me along the subway, given me guides of local tourist attractions, and tracked down books in English I had inquired about to familiarize myself with the history of Chilean wine. To cap it all off (thus far), today she presented me with a thick printout of restaurant recommendations, highlighted maps, and encircled neighborhoods good for nightlife - in fact, I wrote this entry while eating at one of the recommended restaurants on the list.

I imagine GA2 is so deft at this because it resembles what I have interpreted her job to be. I would call her secretary to the boss. She prepares packets for her, makes arrangements for meetings, and was the one who came out to greet me at the door when I arrived late my first day. I haven't actually asked her what she does or peered over her shoulder, and eavesdropping on her phone calls wouldn't really help. But she does lots, and seems to do it well.

Only one thing that GA2 does is a negative, because it is one of my pet peeves. She listens to lousy pop music (usually in English) at really low volumes and repeats certain songs constantly, sometimes singing along. I feel bad, but there are only so many times you can hear a really faint Adele in a day before wanting to sneak over and cut the cord to the radio.

Still, I can't and shouldn't be upset at GA2. I mean, when she learned in the first week that I had a weakness for chocolate, she immediately plunged into her desk drawer and offered me a candy bar.

I think my relationship with GA2 can be summed up with the last image I had of her today - her departing the crowded subway at her stop with me still wedged among all the folks in the train, then her turning and waving emphatically at me from her tiptoes while I struggled to keep my grip on the post as more people surged, and continuing to wave as my train pulled away. Sheepish but also quietly cheered to be the only one on the train that apparently gets such an enthusiastic goodbye, I give a faint wave to one of my doting aunties.