Desirée

French name, Spanish-German, raised in Ecuador, married a Jewish Russian man.

I met Desirée in the Fargo airport, heading to Washington to move in with her son.

Guess it didn't work out with his girl, so he cut his hair and joined the Navy.

Desirée is excited to live with him again.

He rides motorcycle. Has 2. He knows how to take them apart and put them back together.

She is quite happy to be rid of Fargo. The people don't get her, she says.

She tells me how to make empanada

(Lard, not butter is the key)

Tells me the best time of day for seafood is morning. And oh, what she'd do right now for some ceviche!

She teaches me how to prepare yucca.

All you need is to boil or steam it, then add garlic, salt, pepper, lemon juice and olive oil

Just make sure to use good olive oil.

All the regions of Italy are different.

She tells me how to make a proper matzo-ball soup. Miami style. Jewish capitol of the world.

She's lived 7 years in the building next door to the restaurant I work at. Says we don't make the matzo ball soup quite right there.

Says she told the owner once when she saw him on the streets. Says he wasn't very kind to her.

I tell her there are many ways to make a soup.

Tell her I've only ever had ours. And I love it.

I give her some postcards of my paintings.

She tells me to try painting a portrait of Gandhi. I tell her I will.

I wish her and her cat, Lily Rose a safe journey and a happy move.

Glad I looked up while I waited for my bus.

Glad I crashed my car this year and don't have to drive alone anymore.

Glad I talked.

Glad to be alive.

"May the force be with you," she says as I leave.

"And with you," I say.

Didn't know I was talking with a Jedi the whole time.