the morning after

I went to bed late after arriving in Santiago, but I woke up just a few hours later and wandered back over to the Cathedral to watch the morning unfold. I wanted to see the other pilgrims trickle in. I wanted to watch their faces as they reached the end.

I saw a couple of limping souls emerging through the tunnel with their faces looking skyward in confused awe.

Then I saw some other pilgrims. They glanced up toward the cathedral and proceeded purposefully across the plaza without pausing. I slowly realized that they were starting out again on another day. They were walking. They were still walking.

I recognized one man, and he came over. I didn´t really know him, but we had been around each other enough to chat. We had a nice conversation in the early morning, and I was about to wish him safe travels. He introduced himself. At the end of the conversation, he told me his name and put out his hand. Then I told him my name. Then we shook hands, and he walked off. He walked westward. I´ll probably never see him again. Buen camino.