74 degrees December, 2010

Mom, can I go hang out with Gustavo and Gabriel? I wont leave the neighborhood, well stay
inside the gates, I asked my mom. She replied with,
What time? Because I have to talk to you and Carol about something.
CAROL, I yelled. She yelled back,
WHAT? Whats wrong with you I was right in the other room!
Mom has to talk to us. Mom says,
I know that we are having a lot of problems here in Puerto Rico with your father and his new
girlfriend, money, the apartment, family, and other stuff. So I called my mom (grandma) and I
asked her if she knew of places we could live-in in Chicago and she said that there arent any
that fit our price range but she would be more than happy having us stay with her. What do you
guys think?
I was shocked. I didnt know what to say. I wanted to move but I didnt want to leave my friends.
I hung out with them every day, we went everywhere with them. I had nothing to say but,
I cant wait!
I didnt know what I was saying, it just came out. A few seconds after I said that I left left our
second floor apartment, raced down the well-painted steps and ran across the street to my
neighbors house to see if they could hang out.
We all live in the same housing development, it had a fence all around the apartments, not a
fence around each but one huge fence surrounding us from the outside. The only way to get in
was to say your name and your apartment number and then the security guard calls the owner
and asks them if they know who is coming in, sometimes you dont need to answer and you can
just press the number 9 on your cellphone and the gates open. It was safe, secured and not at
all imprisoned. We had a small park and a pool that was probably pure chlorine from the
powerful stench that made my eyes water.
Knock, knock, knock.
Hola Caleb, como estas? said my friends mom. She had long, wavy brown hair with a
caramel skin and hazel eyes, she looked like Beyonce and Shakira as one.
Estoy bien. Gustavo y Gabriel pueden salir a jugar por un rato? I asked.
Absolutamente! Gustavo! Gabriel! Caleb vino a buscarlos para jugar.
I could hear them in their rooms, toys falling, throwing stuff and some yelling.
After we left their building, we decided to go to the playground and talk. It smelled like grass and
the wood from the playground was warm on a December but it was cool if you touch it with your
fingertips.Thats where I told them that my mom had been planning to move to the United
States. They asked why and they complained about it. I was gonna miss them when I left. Once
the day was over, we all headed our ways and I go to my apartment.
As the months pass, the temperature rises and falls.
Warmer than before, it is now 89 degrees March, 2011.
Oye! Wilkins! Ayudame con este televisor! says my moms friend who is buying our
flat-screen T.V. My mom asks,
So Caleb, how do you feel about the big move? I reply with,
I thought it was just an idea at first but now that I know we are actually moving I feel happy.

Well thats great because our apartment lease is almost over and we sold most of our stuff and
now our T.V, she said.
I didnt know how I felt, it was all too much. I was happy and sad. Glad that I would be starting a
new life with new friends and a new school but gloomy because I was leaving my friends and
family and everyone else.
As time passed, the day of the move got closer and closer.
90 degrees June 17, 2011 10:12pm
Okay! Is everything on the truck? asked my uncle.
I believe so, replied my mom.
After my mom said that, I went over to my friends who were waiting for me in front of my
apartment steps.
Youre leaving right now, huh? asked Gustavo.
Yeah. Im gonna miss you all so much, I replied.
Were gonna miss you, said Yosnaeli.
I cant believe Im actually leaving for good, I said.
I have to go, added Gustavo. Gabriel said,
I think hes crying. Im gonna go check on him.
I have to go though. He didnt say bye, I replied.
As I walked away and got in the car, along with my mom and sister, we drove past my friends
and Gustavo y Gabriel and I could see Gustavos face bright because of the street lights but the
trail of tears in his face was brighter than anything. We got out of the housing development and I
lost control of my emotions. I started crying, my face got red and my I was blinded by all the
tears that kept coming out of my eyes. Everything was blurry. Thats when I changed my mind
about moving.
I do NOT want to move! Take me back! I miss my friends already! I need to go talk to
Gustavo! Take me back! I complained.
Caleb, stop! We made up our mind and you cant just get cold feet and make us stay! The
lease for our apartment ended, we sold all of our furniture, and our plane leaves tomorrow!
Whether you like it or not, we are leaving, argued my mom.
I just need to talk to Gustavo before we go! I didnt get his or his brothers phone number, how
are we gonna stay in touch? They were the best friends I have had since our last move, I
rebutled.
We never went back. Once we got to my uncles house, my sister and I went straight to sleep
while my mom stayed talking to her brother.
93o June 18, 2011 at the Airport 8am
We walk through the airport, we get our bags checked, go through a metal detector. It was so
crowded, it was loud but not loud enough for me not to hear myself think. When we get to a
specific part of the airport, my aunt, uncle, and both cousins get told they cant pass without a
ticket. We said our goodbyes and they watched us walk away. When we get to our gate, we sit
down and wait silently. My mom, typing furiously on her phone, my sister, quietly looking
around. I start to go on my phone when my mom gasps in joy and says,
Caleb, I finally got in contact with our neighbor and she told me that she got Gustavo y
Gabriels phone numbers so you can talk to them when we get to the United States.

I jumped off my seat, hugged her hard and told her I loved her. From that moment on, until we
got on the plane, I texted them telling them I missed them and how I love them and everyone
else.
In the airplane
Please put your seat up, sir, said the flight attendant.
We are about to fly when my dog starts whining. No one knew we were taking a dog as a
carryon, but keeping him on our laps in a cage. The plane reached as high as it would fly and
my dog calmed down, it was quiet. I could hear a butterfly landing on a leaf all the way on the
ground when we were already about 40,000 feet in the air. People walked by us often, everyone
talked now but whispered while my family and I spoke how we normally did. We laughed, we
talked about everyone who we were going to miss, we slept. Now we land.
New York 5pm
Our flight left already due to the delay! We have to get all the way to the other end of the airport
just so we can try to get on another flight that leaves in 20 minutes. Lets go, said my mom as
she picked up her bags.
We rushed through the airport and got our tickets, we had to walk for what felt like a mile just to
get into a bus that would take us to the plane. We were scared the plane was going to leave
again and we would have no money to arrive to Chicago. When we finally get to the plane, we
rush to our seats and we enjoy our flight. This time I slept the entire flight that my mom had to
wake me up. We got out the airplane and we are getting our bags. My grandmother waiting for
us where we get our bags. Surprised, my sister and I run to her and give her a hug almost
knocking her off her feet. My mom in tears that she has finally seen her mom in years, they both
begin crying. We make small talk and we walk to the parking lot, my aunt is honking the car
horn when she sees us. We are all excited to see each other. That night, my aunt spent the
night in my grandmothers house just to spend time with us.
Chicago June 18, 2011 11pm
Instead of going straight to the house and going to sleep, my aunt decides to take a detour to
Oberweis and get ice cream. It was the best milkshake I ever had but I got over it quickly. We
had fun, my sister and I half asleep, my mom laughing with her mom and sister. It was a great
night.
November 8th, 2015 10:12pm
Here I am writing about a significant moment in my life. Remembering things that are no
longer. I no longer talk to Gustavo and Gabriel, I dont keep in touch with my cousins or uncles,
and I no longer miss Puerto Rico as much as I used to. Im glad that my mom made the decision
to move here, Chicago. It changed my life for the better.