Post by Arcadio Buendia on Jan 20, 2017 22:25:37 GMT
Arcadio was standing in the Arrivals area of the airport, by the baggage claim. He was bouncing on the balls of his feet, hands jammed into his pockets, and impatient. He couldn't believe that after all these years, his cousin Oscar Ortega was going to be here. They hadn't seen each other since they were both in their 30s, but they had kept in touch. Oscar had bailed Arcadio out of some very bad financial situations in the past, and Arcadio had done his best to repay him. Now that he had a very steady income as a professor at Bellefonte Academy, he could finally pay the rest of his debt.
He kept bouncing, losing himself in the emotions of the people around him. Everyone mostly felt the same as he did: impatient, full of anticipation, full of longing. Arcadio thought back on some of the trouble he and Oscar had gotten into as kids. Running the streets in Macondo, stealing food from the market even though Arcadio's father would have been ashamed to see a Buendia stooping to that level. It had been a rush, although Arcadio could have afforded the sweets and fruit they had swiped as kids, even at that age he had known that Oscar couldn't. Rather than shame his cousin by offering to pay for everything, he had taken up whatever criminal impulses Oscar had as well. This bond and co-dependant behaviour continued as they grew older. Although going to La Delgadillo had been a good experience for Arcadio, he knew that it had been tough on Oscar. Structure and routine was good for Arcadio, whereas Oscar struggled with his 'delinquent' reputation and scary mutation. As a teenager at La Delgadillo, Arcadio had probably been too soft and sensitive to be there. But, he kept his head down and excelled in class and graduated as one of the top students in his year. Oscar had been kept in the academy longer, and the two of them eventually parted ways as Arcadio left for America.
He focused up as travellers began exiting through the security gate. He swept the crowd, looking for Oscar's dark hair and rugged features. He finally spotted his cousin. "Oscar!" he shouted, "you sonofabitch!" He rushed forward to the other man, and grabbed him in a tight hug. He heaved Oscar off the ground for a few seconds. "You're here," he gushed in Spanish as he let Oscar drop back to his feet. "I can't believe it!"
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tag: Oscar Ortega
He kept bouncing, losing himself in the emotions of the people around him. Everyone mostly felt the same as he did: impatient, full of anticipation, full of longing. Arcadio thought back on some of the trouble he and Oscar had gotten into as kids. Running the streets in Macondo, stealing food from the market even though Arcadio's father would have been ashamed to see a Buendia stooping to that level. It had been a rush, although Arcadio could have afforded the sweets and fruit they had swiped as kids, even at that age he had known that Oscar couldn't. Rather than shame his cousin by offering to pay for everything, he had taken up whatever criminal impulses Oscar had as well. This bond and co-dependant behaviour continued as they grew older. Although going to La Delgadillo had been a good experience for Arcadio, he knew that it had been tough on Oscar. Structure and routine was good for Arcadio, whereas Oscar struggled with his 'delinquent' reputation and scary mutation. As a teenager at La Delgadillo, Arcadio had probably been too soft and sensitive to be there. But, he kept his head down and excelled in class and graduated as one of the top students in his year. Oscar had been kept in the academy longer, and the two of them eventually parted ways as Arcadio left for America.
He focused up as travellers began exiting through the security gate. He swept the crowd, looking for Oscar's dark hair and rugged features. He finally spotted his cousin. "Oscar!" he shouted, "you sonofabitch!" He rushed forward to the other man, and grabbed him in a tight hug. He heaved Oscar off the ground for a few seconds. "You're here," he gushed in Spanish as he let Oscar drop back to his feet. "I can't believe it!"
--
tag: Oscar Ortega