Shane and Carmen: The Novelization Ch. 30

Shane and Carmen: The Novelization

Chapter 30 Epilogue

Ms. Robin McManus, 3rd Grade

c/o John C. Fremont Elementary School

200 W. Catalpa St.

Abington, CA

Dear Robin:

Hi! I'm hoping you're the right Robin McManus. I guess you'll know right away whether you are or you aren't. I apologize for writing to you in care of your school. I Googled your name and you seemed to be the only third grade teacher in the area where I think you said you lived, Abington, I think it was, so I'm just guessing (and hoping) I got it right. Google says that Fremont Elementary has a 3rd grade teacher named Robin McManus, and I just hope it's you. If not, please just disregard this letter.

The other day I saw someone who reminded me of you so much I actually went up to her and said, "Robin? Hi!" only it turned out she wasn't you, and it was a bit embarrassing in a funny way. But it made me want to get in touch with you, just to say hello and I guess to pass on some news.

First, that relationship I was in turned out badly, and as a consequence I decided to move to San Francisco about seven or eight months ago to jump-start my life all over again. If you've been following my website like you used to, maybe you've noticed I'm occasionally DJing in the SF area, and not in LA or points south anymore.

Second, I wanted to tell you I have two other jobs. I work part-time for a certain specialty travel agency -- I think you'll be able to guess which one -- not only setting up tours and trips, but also going on those cruises as a special guest DJ, master (mistress? sounds kinky, but it's not) of ceremonies, tour guide, etc. I'm like Julie from the Love Boat, only in my gold lamé booty shorts. And I also work part-time as a consultant and guest DJ for Royal Princess Cruise Lines on some of their cruises. More Julie-type work. Would you believe I've been to Hawaii, Alaska, Mexico, and a couple places in the Caribbean, all for free? Do I have a great job or what?

But what that means is that I'm often out-of-town on a cruise ship somewhere, and not too often home ... and when I am home, I'm often out doing a DJ gig somewhere in the greater SF area. I work my tail off, like always, but it's good because it keeps my mind occupied, so I don't dwell on what happened. It's like therapy, so I don't feel sorry for myself. And it's worked pretty well. I feel pretty good now, although there were a few rocky months there for a while, I gotta tell ya. Not good.

What I'm trying to say is, if you and any of your fellow teachers ever decide to take a trip to SF, I hope you'll look me up, so we can continue the conversation we started back in LA that time. Or, you know, you can come alone. And maybe someday you'll decide to take a cruise somewhere, and if so, well, guess which travel agency and which cruise line I'd love it if you used -- wink wink. Especially if it happened to be a cruise I was working on. Of course, all this assumes some lucky, cute guy hasn't snapped you up by now ... wink wink.

So, just in case, I'm including below my mailing address, e-mail address, office phone number, cell phone number, etc. Wow, that sounds needy and desperate, doesn't it? Maybe it's some kind of karmic stalker payback. (LOL)

Oh, crap. The truth is, I just wanted you to know that relationship I was in was over. I don't know why it took me so long to tell you, maybe I just had to process everything, or something. Clear my head. Work through it all. I don't know. But that's what I wanted to tell you.

Anyway, I hope you're doing well and teaching your heart out, which I know you're spectacular at, and I bet all those 3rd graders just love their Ms. McManus like crazy.

Hope maybe to hear from you sometime.

Best,

Carmen