Paradise Revisited by Norman Filler Page A

difficulties of her situation, and now he felt a rush of his old affection.
    Seeing that she didn’t know who he was, he got opened the car door, and as he struggled to get out,  called, “Hello Megan!” 
    “Andy?” she asked. Her face lit up. “What an absolutely wonderful surprise!  Why didn’t you let me know?”
    “I was going to, but then I wasn’t sure I had the nerve to actually drive in or if you’d want to see me if I did.”
    “Of course, I want to see you!  I’ve wanted to get in touch and call you home for months, but I didn’t have any way.  Of all the beautiful things that happened to me at Matambala, it seemed like you were the only one that … still existed.”  She rushed out to help him get out of the car, but sensed that that was the last thing he wanted. As he laboriously maneuvered his legs out onto the ground, she looked at him and wanted to weep.  The lively enthusiastic, ever-smiling youth she remembered was gone. It wasn’t just the hand that was missing; it was the sparkling light in his eyes and the air of privilege he had exuded.
    Unutterably moved, she held out her arms and hugged him long and hard. “Welcome home,” she said, “It’s been too long.”
    Andy couldn’t answer for a moment, his face buried in her shoulder, as he struggled to keep control, but finally managed rather shakily, “It has indeed.”
    “Come in, come in. We’ll have tea and talk. We’ve lots of talking to do.” Then turning to the house she shouted, “Joshua, Andy’s come home. Come help us with his bags. “
    “A n elderly Malawian bustled out of the house, a huge smile on his face, “Master Andy,” he said, “Welcome home!”  He reached out to shake Andy’s hand and was momentarily disconcerted to discover that it wasn’t there to shake, but recovered almost immediately and reached for Andy’s left hand with both of his instead.” “It’s been too long,”
    He was followed by Buddy, an elderly and obese cocker spaniel, who clearly recognized Andy and excitedly leapt about with joy – his form of welcome. “Yes, Andy replied, “Far too long.” And, he thought to himself that it had been much too long. He’d been obsessed with all that was gone, instead of holding to what wasn’t.”
    ***
     
    Chapter 2 – Catching UP
     
    After they sat down on the verandah and Joshua had poured tea, there was an awkward silence.  There was so much to say that it was hard to know where to begin.  Finally, Megan asked, “So tell me what’s going on with you.”
    “After Mike threw me out, I was so shattered I drifted without any idea what to do.  Nothing seemed worth doing. I had lost my life and couldn’t find another. I visited a lot of interesting places I wasn’t interested in and took a long and incredibly boring cruise. Finally, I went to England to start a new life, but couldn’t find one to start. I visited some old Thyolo friends and found them as paralyzed as I was. The only one who had found solid ground had joined The Salvation Army. He invited me to join, but can you imagine me doing that?”
    Of course, I started to drink too much, and then drug too much. I really think I was trying to kill myself .  And I nearly did when I drove through a red light. Unfortunately I failed to kill myself and killed a couple of other people instead.  All I had to pay for that was a hand and a DUI fine. It was grotesque. I hated myself for being alive, ran out of money, and it wasn’t long before I was sleeping under bridges and eating garbage.”
    “ Then by some miracle, I wandered by a soup kitchen run by the Anglican Church, stopped for a bowl of soup, and was recognized by Fr. Bennett.  He was before your time in Thyolo, but he was very good to us as our rector and recognized me, though how I’m not sure.  He took me in, listened, held me as I wept, told me I was being an arsehole when I needed to be told that, and eventually put me on my feet and found me a job – not