This was Adam’s first time in the greater Salt Lake area. We contemplated a trip to the fun Park City or SunDance for all of two minutes but decided that drive was out of the question, he had driven all day. So we ventured down to Temple Square. I had never been to Temple Square with a person not of the LDS faith. It was quite intriguing to watch Adam be introduced to a place I had seen countless times. The first question he asked, “Kas, can I be arrested for being irreverent here? I don’t know if I’m going to be able to help myself.”
I was quite entertained as our tour guide at the LDS Conference Center made mention of a few things. The first was after he enquired after Adam’s profession, Senator Obama’s campaign. “Now, I’m a Republican but my wife and I are both voting for Obama.” Adam looked down at me with a bit of shock on his face and humor in his eyes ~ a bit unexpected from out mid70s-London-Native-Tour Guide. Another favorite reaction was when the tour guide asked Adam if he knew of the Book of Mormon or the Prophet Joseph Smith … it was a direct look at me with the same look that crossed his face when he joked, “Oh, all those Book of Mormons, one for me, one for my host family in Equador … singing in Church … the brainwashing,” as we walked into the Conference Center. I smirked as he nodded to London. But what took the cake was London’s references to Adam’s baptism, impending marriage in the temple across the way, and the side glances London shot at the two of us. I’m not certain what the reaction would have been had Adam shared the name of his current love interest but that might have just been a bit too much.
The rest of Temple Square was a self given tour: Temple, Tabernacle, Family History Library. This could have been my favorite moment on Temple Square with Adam. I’m not even certain he knew but while sitting there, in a quite library with probably twenty other people quietly sitting and working at computers, several ‘choice words’ came out. Not all at once, not in a rude or disrespectful manner … he was simply speaking and ‘darn’ there would be his Great Great Great Grandfather. Or ‘Shoot, should that be there?’ the social security of his Father would pop up. I’m positive no one heard but it simply made me smile a bit from the inside out, Adam was sitting at a Church Library with missionaries flanking the doors of the room, using colorful language. I like time with my old friend.
After the Mormon Education we started to walk, confident we’d find some food. I like my walk time with my old friend. We ended up spending close to an hour and half walking Salt Lake, only interrupted for some fantastic food at Stone Ground ~ Adam was starving!
Our conversation ventured from parents to which wine to drink to crushes on Cory to number of children desired to Montana to all things RYP to DC to relationships to wedding songs to reality, we normally run the gamete. Naturally he sang as we walked, I never remember how much I love that voice until I hear it ~ it truly is one of the few voices I could listen to without ever growing tired of it. And as always, it was in the middle of our walk, in mid sentence, I state the truest fact of my reality in the moment I realize it. Of course it would be with Adam.
Bottom line, I like time with my old friend. I get to come out of the world I am in, no matter where that is physically or emotionally, and see it from another’s eyes. Reality and truth come forth and I find the courage to believe it all.
Now I know someone in Montana ~ OBAMA 08 in Missula, MT!
