The following year I retunred to U.S.A.  Soon, I found out that I could not live 

without my beloved sweetheart.  Then, I wrote her the following letter that 

I thought would win her heart.



My dearest friend, my love and my companion in life, 



I hope you are having as easy as Sunday morning as it is in the Twin Cities. 

Today, I am not feeling very well.  I am getting some kind of terrible and mixed 

symptoms. But, whenever I am sad, my only consolation is remembering the good times 

we had.  In my lonely sorrows, I feel kind of glad, because I always remember the 

good times we had.  I had loved you like I've never loved before.   Ever since 

I met you, I can never feel the same again…but, my love for you will always 

remain the same.  I had the kind of love that comes to only very few.  How can 

I imagine to love again?  Because, I'll always remember the good times we had.  

I'll always give blessings to the Lord for making me such a fortunate man.  





How can I forget our honeymoon?  The moment I close my eyes, those days come to 

me right back like a vision.  Then again, when I open my eyes, I still see you in 

my memory; there standing next to me. When I see those pictures I took, I become 

overwhelmed by the memories of the moments we spent near the grand old trees gracing 

the landscape in Bet Gerghis, and the fine views of the skyline painted with slowly 

descending clouds that could be seen in the mountains and the space, you turned your 

face to me with a beautiful smile.  I remember the good times we had when we were on 

that high mountain of D'rfo above the clouds.  We walked in by the soft flowing 

waters and the gentle winds that stirred the leaves, while we were feeding the 

ducks and the swans.  Another young lovers passed by us arm in arm.  The wind 

blew faster and people's hats flew.  I stopped, distracted, seeing you thinking.  

Those are the moments that I will cherish forever in my life.



Words fail me describing your beauty, grace, and charm. You truly are gifted 

with natural fineness, instinct for what is elegant, and suppleness of wit.  



I remember the good times we had, we talked for hours to ends. We spoke of our 

families, our homes, our jobs, our involvement in the all services, where we 

had been on vacation, schools etc.  While we were walking amidst the flowers of 

every color by the park with a lovely lake Lageto, I touched your arms . . . 

Suddenly, the sky become deeper blue and the birds sang sweeter melodies.



I'll always remember when I first asked you out for a coffee with me in one 

easy Sunday afternoon near May JaH JaH... After the coffee, the Kodak moment of 

kombishtato’s view did not escape us; we took those first pictures that would 

follow by hundreds of others.   



Ever since I came to the U.S., you did not come to me in my dreams, you 

accompanied me everywhere, like my shadow, following me everywhere I went. I 

could still hear your breathing, the sweet rustle of your skirts.  My first 

love, you're every breath that I take; you're every step that I make.  Whenever 

I close my eyes, you happen to stand right before me in flesh, still lovelier, 

still younger and tender that you had really been.  And looking back in the 

times I spent with you, I see myself, too, as better than I have been.   

Remembering the sweet aroma of your cologne and the touch of your soft and 

beautiful hair, I cannot control my emotions and my feelings.  Your smile is 

like a breeze of spring. And your voice soak like the summer rain.  No one can 

compete with you, my darling.  There is only you in my life.  The only thing 

that's right.  



In the streets of Minneapolis, I followed women in vein with my eyes open, to 

see if there were any like you.    When the night time starts to fall, then I miss 

you most of all.  My memories wonder around the good times we had when you 

looked at me from the bookshelf of our home, the fireplace, and the corner, playing 

the piano that touches the soul . . .  

 

Ever since I came here, I've always felt an overwhelming desire to share my 

memories with someone.  But, since I could not speak of my love at home, and 

out side my home, who was there else to open your heart to?  Not the tenants 

living in my house, and certainly not my colleagues at work.  And what was 

there to tell?  Was it love that I felt?  Had there been anything exquisite, 

worthy of saying, anything constructive or even amusing about my private life?  



With my friends, I had to concentrate myself with uttering vague generalization 

about love and women and even sing sweet melodies of love, and nobody guessed 

what I meant, though once my friend's dark eyebrows twitched as he said:



"There role of politics doesn't suite you a bit, Barnie."  



What is left?  Discussions, people, wasted evenings, tedious and empty days!  

Frantic cards and checkers games, gluttony, and perpetual talks always about 

the same thing that was no use to anyone.  There is nowhere to escape to; you 

might as well be in the madhouse or a convict settlement.  



I did not know how greater part of one's time and energy could be spent on 

thinking of love.   But, I'll always remember the good times we had!



Please convey my greetings to your beloved mother, Milsaria and your beloved 

father, Markorio.  All my greetings to Muniyana and all your brothers.  At 

last, but not least, a special hug and kiss to your little brother, Binsiano.  



It has been 10 years since I have written that letter. Over the eyars, 

the memory in my head started to fade gradually.





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           Twisting the night away . . .





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         Old Salsa Dancers never die.....



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                ... at least in memory









        ___           ___           ___     

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       \/__/         \/__/         ~~       







                                                 



P.P.S.

Pictures & Words:

   By Barnabas Yohannes

Time Spent:

   12 hours and 45 minutes

How:

   Don't try this at home.



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