An Early Morning Surprise

My phone alerted me to an incoming WhatsApp call. The time was 4AM. In darkness, I reached for my phone. It was a video call. I poked the answer icon, and Nuria appeared. She was well dressed and her surroundings were not familiar to me. 

"Where are you?" I asked.

"I'm in Dallas, at the airport. I'll be in Richmond at 11AM."

At first, my brain could not compute what she was saying. Nuria lives in Costa Rica, a country in Central America. But now she's in Dallas? She's going to be in Richmond at 11AM? What is happening?

She explained that she is coming here to be with me on my birthday, which is later this month. Also, she just wanted to visit me. It is a long trip from San Jose, CR, to Richmond, VA. It began at 3:38PM yesterday (CR time) at San Jose Juan Santamaria airport in Costa Rica, and now she's at Dallas Fort Worth airport in Texas, and at 11AM she'll arrive at Richmond International Airport in Virginia. I'll be there to meet her and drive us to my city. She'll spend a month in America, land of the What-a Burger (which we both love), land of the Texas Steakhouse and the Longhorn Restaurant. And let's not overlook Olive Garden. My small city is the land of restaurants. Here, you can buy any kind of food that floats your boat. Lots of Chinese, Mexican, and Japanese restaurants, too ... lots of steakhouses, lots of fast food. And did I mention, we have the world's largest Arby's. And next door in Petersburg, there is the world's best BBQ restaurant. There was a BBQ restaurant on Brambleton Avenue in Roanoke, VA, that ran a very close second place, and maybe even could have won the first place ribbon for its ribs, but now that place is gone—closed for good.

The sun hasn't risen but it's getting light outside, and I have a few things to do before I leave the house. So I'll cut this short and post again when I can. Be good, y'all.