Page 8 of Five Goodbyes

I grin and motion toward the musicians. “The music, of course.”

“Is that the only thing?”

“Maybe I also want to meet a nice little Irish girl who can show me a good time. Isn’t that what every American boy wants when in Ireland?”

She laughs as she shakes her head. “Want to join me and sing with the band? Maybe I’ll serenade you into making some bad decisions with me later.”

Jasmine throws her arms around my neck and gives me a quick kiss.

We make our way to the group, and the locals welcome us with open arms. Before we know it, we’re swept up in the music, clapping and singing along with the crowd. As the night wears on and the pub begins to empty, we find ourselves sitting at a table with our new best friends, laughing and chatting as we all enjoy our drinks.

“This is amazing,” I say, taking a sip of my Guinness. “I can’t believe how friendly everyone is here.”

Jasmine nods in agreement, a wide smile on her lips. “It’s like we’ve known them for years,” she says. “I love how welcoming everyone is.”

As we talk, one of the locals comes over and hands us a sheet of paper with the lyrics to a traditional Irish song. “We’re going to sing this next,” he says, grinning.

“Thank you!” I exclaim, excited about being able to really get into the song.

We eagerly join in, singing along with the locals as they play their instruments. Both of us smile as we sing the words to the sea shantyWhat do you do with a drunken sailor. As we sing, I start laughing at the different lines of what these guys would do with a drunken sailor. Some of them are:

Shave his belly with a rusty razor. Put him in a long boat until he’s sober. Stick him in a scupper with a hosepipe bottom. Put him in bed with the captain’s daughter.

Now, I don’t have any clue what a scupper is, but I sure do know what a captain’s daughter is and I lose it at the thought of doing this to my buddies if I was in the same situation. Yes, the Guinness is beginning to have a little bit of an effect on me.

After the song is over, we toast and laugh together, feeling like old friends. “This is what it’s all about,” Jasmine says, clinking her glass with everyone around us.

I nod in agreement. “It’s moments like these that make life worth living.”

We close down the pub and leave with reluctance as we walk back to our hotel arm in arm, feeling a sense of contentment. We’ve just experienced something truly special, and we know we’ll never forget the warmth and kindness of the Irish people. We’ll certainly have to come back, and I won’t complain next time about the cost.

As we move through the streets of Dublin, we belt out a few Irish songs we learned through the night, feeling a rhythm and melody in our souls. It’s an evening we’ll always remember, a beautiful reminder of the power of music and the joy of connecting with others. We grow a little bit closer. There’s one thing I know for sure . . . I’m never doing anything that will make me lose this woman beside me. I need her, and I believe she needs me. This is what happiness is all about.

Chapter Three

As the plane descends toward the airstrip in the Congo, my heart begins racing. A trip like this has never been on my radar, yet in a crazy whirlwind I’ve somehow gone from sleeping in my own bed, to partying in Dublin, and next, sleeping in Africa . . . all within forty-eight hours. My world has certainly changed since meeting Jasmine Anderson.

Jasmine squeezes my hand seconds before the plane’s tires hit the tarmac. It’s surprising to see this brave woman nervous about something so insignificant as an airplane making contact with the earth. Still, I’m glad she’s comfortable enough to be vulnerable with me, even if this is a small thing. I’ll hold her hand for as long as she needs because I love this woman.

“HEY!” A very familiar voice calls.

Mora and I have been friends for many years. Even though it’s been six months since she moved to Africa, and I’ve only had one Skype call with her since, I’ll always know this voice. I turn to see her and Philip waving at us, their smiles almost as big as mine and Jasmine’s.

My feet are moving before I know it. Jasmine is right behind me as we both rush forward. It’s difficult to be away from the ones we love. Within seconds, we’re all embracing in hugs as we all talk a mile a minute about missing each other. As tired as both Jazz and I are, it doesn’t matter. It’s a free shot of energy seeing a friend who’s been gone for too long.

Mora pulls back from me and cups my cheeks. “I’ve missed you. What were you thinking driving off a bridge and nearly getting you and Jazzy killed?”

I can’t help but laugh. Only Mora would make a joke of our near-death experience. I hug her again, before picking up my bags as I speak.

“I needed some time off so we could come see you,” I tell her with a deadpan expression.

Everyone pauses for a few seconds, then burst out laughing. We move over to her Jeep, play Tetris getting our bags into the small back end, then quickly get on the road.

“We have a small compound here,” Philip says as I sit next to him in the front seats.

“Compound?” Jasmine questions.

Both Philip and Mora laugh. “Not like Jim Jones. No one is drinking Kool-Aid or dying in a blaze of glory. You simply have to live behind walls here to keep safe from animals and criminals,” Mora says.

---