Reluctantly I dress and head for the city center, over stuffed bus rides and noise. As the bus nears Guadeloupe Street I shuffle my way through the crowd. Unbelievably through the stained bus window I see Reina in full stride across the street. She looks beautiful, her long black hair drifting in the breeze of pollution. I struggle to get through the bus door and crowd. I call out to her; my call goes unnoticed. I dart through the traffic and diesel smog to reach her nearly getting run down by a passing scooter. I reach for her shoulder; she turns and looks at me for a moment straining for something to say, maybe my name. “It’s me Jack, Jack Hines, Reina you must remember!” “Oh Jack it’s been so long, of course I remember you I’m surprised your still alive.” My heartbeat finds me wordless. I light a smoke to calm myself. “Listen Jack it’s good to see you are still here, but I am in very much of a hurry right now, my daughter she is waiting for me at her school.” “Your daughter! Can’t I at least walk with you?” “Yes but you must walk fast as I am late and tuck in your shirt you look like a bum.” “Reina for years I have dreamt of seeing you, somehow I lost track of you” We walk at a brisk pace avoiding the obstacles along the sidewalk. Reina tells me how she has cleaned her life up and now has a job at a restaurant where her and her daughter Estrella can eat daily. “We live in a small apartment owned by my boss only one block from the restaurant. He is a kind man and has a wonderful wife they have looked after us for many years now, since shortly after you left Jack.” “I didn’t leave, you kicked me out and I believe it was even raining the night you asked me to leave when you sent me away with only a blanket to cover myself in the Rain. And your daughter Estrella, how old is she?” “Esrella she has five years.” “She has a beautiful name.” “Yes Estrella, it means star in Spanish, she is very beautiful as well Jack, you will see. Her school is only a few blocks away so can you please tuck in your shirt and tidy your hair, I want you to look respectable when she meets you.” What have you been doing with your life?