21. Days in the life
This chapter has a few more pictures, so I'll put it behind a spoiler tag.
A few weeks ago, Cameron Ross had felt unfocused, anxious, and lonely. Then, a simple piece of loving advice he’d received from his mother set him on a new path, and since then, everything seemed better.
Becoming a “competent cook” was a List item. Cam’s progress on this task was admittedly rather uneven. He still grabbed too many meals from food stands, but conversing with the vendors he knew, like Rohan Rosenthal, was much more fun than eating alone.
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And, while Cameron still chose to make simple dishes, like Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, he was now handy enough in the kitchen to create something edible more often than not.
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Cam had also added “Read more” to The List. As a young child, he had enjoyed reading very much, but as he got older, he “kind of lost the habit,” as he put it. Now, he was rediscovering his love of the written word. He liked browsing the bookstore in Henford-on-Bagley and the shelves at Brindleton Bay Retailers, adding to his growing collection of “how-to” books. And he sometimes relaxed with a novel before bedtime, or beside the pool on a sunny morning.
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“Go to Festivals in San Myshuno” was not on The List, but Cameron decided he liked going into the city at least once a week. The Spice Festival was his favorite. He liked the vibe of the Spice Market, and he’d developed a taste for the flavorful food served there.
Some Festival nights were more eventful than others. One night, he ran into a new friend of his, Jeremy Xu.
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Cam met the young physician through his roommate, Victor Heiser. Victor had played soccer with Cameron at Buckingham High. And, as it turned out, Jeremy was connected to Cameron in another, more intriguing way. He worked with Angie Reynolds at T. Pose Medical.
“I can’t help messing with Angie,” Jeremy admitted. “I find reasons to mention Cameron around her, and she always blushes.”
Jeremy was very fond of Angie, however, and wanted the best for her. He knew about her growing crush on Cameron, and he took the time to talk Angie up a bit.
“She’s the sweetest gal ever, Cam,” Jeremy told him. “She’s got such a big heart. It’s one of the things that makes her an outstanding doctor.”
“So you’re telling me I should make an appointment?” Cameron asked with a grin.
Jeremy laughed. “Yeah. For entirely unprofessional reasons that have nothing to do with your health.”
Cameron spent most of that evening hanging out with Jeremy, Nile Kinnick, and Randall Nelson. The four of them ate too much (Cameron learned to make a Bean and Cheese Burrito), listened to some music, and shared a few jokes.
As Cam felt more comfortable around his new friends, more of his personality emerged. “I thought Cam was kind of shy when I first met him,” Nile recalled. “I’m not known as much of a talker, and I thought Cam was even quieter than I am. I was wrong.”
“Sometimes I miss those days,” Jeremy teased.
‘“Yeah, now he keeps reminding us how he beat the Curry Challenge,” said Nile.
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