Where once he heard soft whispers on the wind, the voices now calling were deafening to his ears. Perhaps it was an epiphany that destiny had predetermined. Perhaps it was an illusion born from desperation. Or maybe it was simply time for the native son nearing the end of his journey to return home.
For too long these voices called to Kevin and for too long he procrastinated what was truly in his heart. For he was a New Brunswick boy and he knew where he belonged. And yet here, there was always a constant tug on his shirt that he neither embraced nor rejected throughout his latter years. There was never a day that dawned when Kevin would not rise and immediately compare the sunrise to the beauty of his hometown. And every sunset had him dreaming of his toes in the sand and the taste of salt water along the shores that were once his.
He had few possessions and so within a matter of days Kevin was packed and ready for the final leg of his journey home. Detesting goodbyes, he told no one of his plans and just slipped away on an ordinary Monday in June. Toting a used and worn duffel bag, Kevin took one last look at the his empty apartment that he had been forced to call home for many years. Like a waterfall in the springtime, wave after wave of emotions came cascading as he closed the door one last time, then stepped into a taxi that would take him to the bus station. Yet Kevin was not heading home to New Brunswick. Instead he hopped on a Grey Hound bus heading west. Three days later, he stepped off the bus in Victoria, British Columbia ready to see for the first time, everything that he knew he would see for the last time. And time was not on his side.
British Columbia was a beautiful province that intrigued Kevin very much. From the busy nightlife, to the sandy beaches, to the mountains and endless trails, each day seemed like an adventure. Following a trail up the mountainside until he could go no farther, Kevin stood at the peak staring down at a world that suddenly looked vastly different from the world he knew. And although he enjoyed every day around such people who were very pleasant and hospitable, nothing compelled him to want to stay any longer. Kevin spent twenty two days in British Columbia before realizing that he belonged elsewhere. Pulling a prepaid ticket out of his duffel bag, he boarded a bus heading east.
Arriving in Edmonton Alberta, Kevin was immediately surrounded by the poverty that existed in a place where people from all over the country migrated to for work. Although there were several nice parks and newer buildings, it was a city that looked old and dirty. He did not even feel safe while waiting for a taxi to take him to a motel for the night."I will find nothing amicable here", Kevin thought. He spent one night in Edmonton before again, boarding a bus heading east. Kevin next got off the bus in in Regina, Saskatchewan. The ride was uneventful and the scenery was very boring. Once again his first impression was of an old and dirty place with a few nicer buildings off in the distance. Outside the bus station he was confronted by those homeless begging for whatever they could get from a passing tourist. Again, Kevin spent one night in Regina before boarding the bus heading east.
The next stop for Kevin was in Winnipeg, Manitoba. His first perception was not much different that his previous two stops but Kevin decided to have a look around. Again, there were a few nicer places and buildings trying hard to overshadow the old and dirty but there was also something else. Kevin stopped to have a lunch in a small cafe and was surprisingly happy with not only the food, but as well the patrons and staff there. Every thing seemed small town. And the people were friendly and never appeared rushed about life. He even had a slice of apple pie for dessert. Kevin never ate dessert! He stayed for four days before boarding a bus heading east. Although Kevin knew that there was nothing for him in Manitoba, as the bus pulled out of the station, he was glad he stayed and had a look around.
Passing into Ontario, Kevin closed his eyes and had a nap. He despised this place and any more time spent here would be nothing more than to change buses and then carry on with his journey east. Through Thunder Bay, then Sudbury, changing buses in Toronto and so on. There were some who stared in wonderment at the hilly landscape and forests and lakes from Thunder Bay to Sudbury, but not Kevin. He looked out the window with disdain. There were some who looked out the window in awe when seeing the Toronto Skyline and all of its glory. But not Kevin. It seemed to take forever to pass through what he could only describe as hell on earth. And Kevin had lived this hell for too many years. As the hours passed, he only looked out the window to read the road signs telling him how many more miles to Quebec. It was seeming like an eternity.
Finally, and as the sun was setting, Kevin crossed that line from hell to hope and it felt like he had finally crossed a threshold as suddenly, there was no more tug on his shirt. He felt a spirit once dormant, begin to come to life. Montreal was spectacular and Kevin was excited to explore this city and province of culture and tradition. And he was not disappointed. His french was rusty but his enthusiasm was unbridled. The nightlife was addicting and the history of this place was mesmerising. Kevin spent five days in Montreal before trekking to the rural areas and then to the Gaspe Peninsula. It was a place he had always wanted to visit. Kevin felt somewhat saddened to leave Quebec but after seventeen days it was time for him to finally face his fears and make his dream come true. It was time to go home to New Brunswick.
As the bus passed the sign that said, "Welcome To New Brunswick", Kevin was moved beyond what mere words could tell. He stared speechless while looking out the window at a place that he could barely remember and yet, was as familiar as his favourite jeans. The next stop was Moncton and then a local charter to Saint John. It was a sunny, breezy Saturday morning when Kevin's feet finally touched his hometown for the first time in over forty years. Standing there in the middle of the bus station, he had a difficult time holding it together and holding it in. Like thunder clouds, he was ready to explode and release the pressure of so many years of misery. A few hours later, Kevin stood along the side of the road looking at the very land he once played on. The house was long gone but he knew it and more than that, he felt it. What sketchy memories remained from his childhood seemed as clear as the blue skies above him. A few hours later Kevin removed his shoes and walked along a sandy beach tasting the salt water air. The water was cold but it felt invigorating and he felt as if he had just been reborn. As elated as he was, Kevin sat down on the beach and he wept. He was finally back where he belonged. He was finally home.
It is said that when you hail from the east coast that no matter where you go, no matter how far, and no matter how long you have been away, at some point you are called home. And there are those who speak of such voices calling that cannot be ignored. Legend has it that the wind carries these voices to only those whose time has come and must return home before the end. At the age of forty nine and on a sunny July morning, Kevin answered those voices and finally returned home to fulfil his destiny. At the age of forty nine and on a frigid December morning, Kevin passed away after losing his battle with cancer. He was not surrounded by friends nor were there any family to give comfort. Yet he died surrounded by his own kind and in the very same hospital that he was born in. Home is where the heart is. Kevin left his heart in New Brunswick until that day when destiny called him home to reclaim it.
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