Sweet Home Alabama

All I really got out of Italy was a full stomach and spaghetti sauce on my face that nobody except Birdie Malone decided to point out.

Captain took us back on the ship and looked us in the eyes and said that he had always dreamed of going to Italy.

Our turn.

Anywhere WE wanted to go, we'd go.

Dang it.

Where did I want to go?  Even now, I'm still not positive.

We spent the day in Ghana and Argentina and Thailand and Denmark and Washington D.C.  We climbed a mountain in Switzerland and rode tigers in India.  Mateo Romero took one with him and hid it in his room, and I promised not to tell.  From what he said later, the tiger didn't do so well while we were scampering around England.  That was Birdie's choice.

I learned more of the crew's names by then, but kind of lost my sense of direction along the way.  Also, I was a bit frustrated.  I left my math homework at home.  Not that it really mattered.  Not that I would turn it in any time soon.  Definitely not like I wanted to do it.

But I don't like unfinished business.

Jamie wanted Florida, Persephone said Greece.  Constance led us to Zanzibar, Galileo to Hawaii.  And Jimmy...out of everywhere in the world...decided on Las Vegas.

I don't like Jimmy too much.

Oakley Johnson and I were the youngest ones there and we were up.

Dang it.

Still not sure where to go.

Why not Scotland?  That'd be grand.  More than grand.  Fine, Scotland.  Or Ireland?

But Oakley.  He had no trouble.  Bless that blasted kid.  He looked up at Captain and muttered, "Alabama, please."

"You were just in Alabama.  That's where you live," Captain said.

"Yep."

Oakley's nineteen.  He was home for the summer, but he usually lives at college and loves the isolation.  Why go back?

I must admit though, seeing him hug his mom was a bit neat.  Even though he just got up and left her again.

My turn.

"Uh...home for me too, Captain."

My mom was happy, just like Oakley's.  She didn't mind that I had to whisk myself away again after only a minute.  The fact that I wanted to be there out of anywhere else in the world at that moment must have been cooler than I thought.

I took my math homework with me this time.

And Mom gave me a PBJ.

Still not sure where I am.  It's going pretty fast.  But wherever I am, I'm here.  That's the point.  And if I'm here, I'll be everywhere.