The End of the F***ing Quarantine

I don't know if anyone follows me enough to care why I haven't been very active in the blockchain, but whether you do or don't, there's a good story behind this. Well, not entirely good but at least entertaining I think.

My quarantine was forcefully ended by a series of chaotic events that involved violence and a dark side I didn't know existed in me. I won't be too explicit on what happened but it involved a lot of shouting, curses, threats and door breaking... All ending with me and my friend/uncertain partner, having to spend the night in the streets hiding from the cops as curfew has been re-established in Chile.

After the shitshow that we put on due to our toxic behaviors as a couple, we had the whole night to reflect on our actions and feel like we were the protagonists of the Netflix series "The End of the F***ing World". We had broken all decency codes at the house I had been staying all this time and there was no way we could handle the shame to stay there anymore. And still, we didn't feel bad, just this strange apathy and overall insensibility.

^Source

We took cover in a roofed bus stop and did our best to withstand the cold. Thankfully no cops showed up.

We should of felt terrible, but at the same time couldn't help thinking there was some deeper reason to all this, that it had to go down this way for some cosmic plan we had yet to understand.

Next morning we took a bus to the city and got myself a cellphone since I was going down south to my homeland and didn't have any means of communication. With corona lockdown and curfew at night I think it's a sensible thing to stay in touch.

Then we traveled to Melissa's grandfather's house which is a nice place with lots of fruit trees and abundance of silence. We were able to chill and talk more about the previous events as well as what we should do with our relationship and life in general.

A last moment of friendly sharing before parting ways. No matter what happens, the love is still there.

We finally decided it was best we took some time off from each other to get a better grasp of what we wanted. Melissa went north to her home, Santiago, and I begin my journey south, with the intention of reaching Temuco.

My bus took its sweet time and it was almost the hour of curfew and it was nowhere near it's destination. I walked around town but none of the hostels and hotels were receiving people. Curfew how was getting nearer and I was down to my last five minutes, the cell phone was in it's last 5% of battery, and I had no one to turn to in this unknown town.

Eventually I reached a gas station and asked the guy working the night shift if he could allow me to charge my phone. While I waited, a small and very fat dog approached me and while I petted him I begin to feel a sense of peace, as well as confidence that everything would go in a good direction.

Suddenly I saw in the distance a small hostel sign with a number that I couldn't make out. Once the phone was charged I walked to look at it and called, but I was told they weren't receiving anybody. I checked my Facebook post where I asked for help in a traveller group and I had been answered that NO ONE was receiving people due to the virus.

I was fucked, stranded in a town where I didn't know anybody and at the mercy of chilean cops who are known for their repressive behaviors. I asked the worker of the gas station if I could stay there and he said it was fine by him.

Eventually an army truck stopped at the gas station and my heart went on full speed. Fear creeped in like a spear plunging my chest. This was it, the end of this strange movie I call my life. I focused on the good things that might come with the parting of me from the physical body and that helped me relax.

The soldiers were young and surprisingly nice. They asked why I was out in the streets at that hour and when I explained they were very comprehensive. "I understand, but have a situation here", said the higher rank one. "I can turn a blind eye but if the cops come here they won't be so friendly".

They talked to the worker of the gas station and asked him to provide me with a little room in the tool shed to spend the night. God, I thought I would NEVER be grateful to a soldier, but that night I seriously considered enrollment. To make it even better, the gas station worker gave a me "sopaipilla" which is a kind of fried bread we eat in Chile.

I had taken a very warm blanket with me so I did fine through the night. With my bagpack as a pillow and a sweatshirt under my feet I felt quite warm despite the cement floor. I was even able to relax enough to lucid dream and went off into an alien planet with exotic plants and mushrooms of very bright colors. I foraged them while flying which was a beautiful experience.

After waking up around 4 AM, I waited until 5, which was the ending hour for the curfew. I thanked the gas station worker and strided off into the night, hoping to reach the bus station unscathed.

When I was a few blocks away from the station a guy passed by accompanied by a little poodle. He had a horrible stench of alcohol but despite being drunk he minded his own business and kept going.

A little further I ran into him again, except he was coming my direction. "Now what? Got saved from the curfew only to get screwed by some random guy on the streets", I thought.

But the dude offered me a beer and a cigar which I accepted. "Why not? I could of died a few hours ago, let's just go with the flow", I said to myself.

He asked me to acompany him to check out his truck, which according to him was super close. I agreed, focusing on trusting the Universe that this was all just an experience necessary for my growth. As we walked and walked I started finding it harder to trust.

^Source
I obviously don't have a picture of this friend as I avoided pulling out my new phone while I was with him. I bought to use it to record the progress I will be doing in the south and didn't want it to be stolen before it served that purpose. This image I ran into looks very much like him though.

He told me his story and at some point we ran into a guy who was actually his uncle and confirmed everything. The uncle seemed like a very healthy and positive man so that gave me some calm.

My new friend, however, talked like a complete thug and I had to do my best to keep it together with some of his crazy stories of guns, drugs and his permanent consideration of killing his wife if he found out that she was cheating on him.

In the end we drank like six beers each and talked until sunrise. I met his wife and she seemed nice so I think he just liked talking like a thug but wasn't really that way. Before I left he gifted me a jacket, some neck protection, money, beer, and cigars. He also gave me street advice and a few tips on fighting, self-defense and making yourself be respected when things get rough. Jeez, God has so many shapes and mannerisms it's screwed up, but in the end things always work out right.

There were many other blessings such as this during the rest of the journey but I won't mention them all because I'm sure you have other things to do with your day. I've finally made it to Temuco and reached my friend's house where I had some clothes from a previous visit. A hot shower and clean clothes felt heavenly after this crazy adventure.

We put on the masks for fun and to play like it was the actual apocalypse to go shopping. People showed jesterly smiles while we passed looking like this.

I'll be staying here for a day or two and keep moving south. I still have long ways to go and hopefully I won't get trapped in any town. But whatever happens the key is to go with the flow, to not resist but instead observe, trust and learn.