The Dance and the Day and a Half Day Trip

Usually I dread Valentine's Day, and this year was no exception. I don't want to be alone on Valentine's Day. I want flowers delivered to me, fine chocolate in a heart-shaped box, a mushy love note hidden under my pillow, and a candle-lit dinner with my sweetheart. I'm a romantic, what can I say? But it wasn't going to happen this year. So, the thought of going to a dance called P.S. I Love You, was not something I was looking forward to, even though it was a school dance sponsored by the 1st grade class.

My thoughts, though, were totally in the wrong direction. This dance was not about romantic love and it certainly wasn't about me. The whole idea of it was to celebrate the love a parent has for a child and to raise money for our school. How selfish of me to dread my participation in a school function that celebrated relationships.

I dallied the afternoon of the dance not caring if I got ready or not. Mrs. Flores offered to give me a ride and be "my date" for the evening. At least I had a date, I thought. She was on time, I was not. Fifteen minutes after she honked the horn I was dashing out the door with shoes dangling from my fingers.

On the drive to the Palms, I complained about this and that and pretty much whined the entire trip. Debbie did not agree with me or disagree with me. She didn't complain about all my complaining, and she didn't judge me. She just listened and nodded a few times. When we arrived she said, "Terry, let's just have a good time."

And you know what? I did. I really truly had a wonderful time. I wasn't expecting to, but I did. When I saw how excited my students got when they saw me, it changed my whole demeanor.

The dance was fun and successful. We raised around $2,000! It was the first time SCS has ever put on a dance. Once my attitude was adjusted I relaxed and enjoyed the evening. I took pictures, gave hugs, and danced with my students. By the last dance my feet were killing me, but I was smiling.

The next day was Valentine's Day. The dread I had was gone. I was looking forward to a day trip to Tinian with some friends. It was actually a day and a half. I needed to get away and this was just the weekend to do it. We took the ferry over to Tinian, which is about an hour's ride over the ocean. Mostly an uneventful trip except for the tourists who were seasick. That wasn't so pleasant.

After we got settled into our rooms at the Dynasty, we walked across the street to a vendor who had scooters for rent. I had never been on a scooter, but I was determined that this was mode of transportation I wanted to use. After a brief lesson on how to operate the scooter, we donned our helmets and were off to see the sites of Tinian.

Our first stop was an al fresco lunch at the Island Garden Cafe. The food wasn't all that great, but the atmosphere was charming. After lunch we headed north to see the ruins of the Japanese Communications Center, the Atomic bomb pits, the blowhole, and many other historical sites. It was well worth the $20 rental fee to ride a scooter around Tinian. Riding around I felt such freedom. I was relaxed and happy. It really is the best way to see Tinian.

By coincidence the Tinian Hot Chili Pepper Festival and the Chinese New Year just happened to occur on the same weekend we were there, a bonus for sure. We attended the Festival and got a bite to eat at one of the booths. It was similar to the Flame Tree Festival on Saipan only much, much smaller. There was some entertainment, not particular good, but overall it was a nice evening.

On Monday we took our scooters to see the Latte Stones and Suicide Cliff. These were my favorite sites to see. Heading back to town, I wanted to take my time and enjoy the ride and the view. I may never ride a scooter on this island again. I wanted to savor every moment.

The weekend scooting around Tinian did more for me than any steroid or energy drink could. I needed the rest, physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Even though I had a paid passage back to Saipan on the ferry, I couldn't resist the opportunity to take a charter flight back to Saipan. The little plane,and I do mean little, only held six passengers, including the pilot! I sat directly behind the pilot and watched him fly the plane. Like a giddy tourist I snapped pictures over his shoulder at the cockpit and the landing strip of Saipan. It was only about a ten-minute flight from

Tinian to Saipan, but well worth every penny and every moment! No time or money were wasted here. It was the best way to end my Valentine weekend...flying high and feeling good.