Buy This Suitcase – John Calvi April 2018
Did I ever tell you this story? I was just out of massage school in Boulder Colorado in the Spring of 1984. I was doing lots of massage with rape survivors and people with AIDS and not being paid for it. I got too tired with that work to keep washing muffins tins at a friends bakery during the night shift and I was very poor. I was wondering what I was going to do to keep body and soul together.
Our little rental group house was across the street from the Salvation Army store and I had begun my regular visits trolling to find the things I couldn’t afford at regular prices. I found a banquet tablecloth of wonderful white jacquard linen that was very wide and several feet long. It became the wallpaper/insulation for my tiny sun porch bedroom.
One day at the thrift store I heard voices telling me to buy an old Samsonite suitcase. I was not used to hearing voices, but I did choose one and brought it home. And then it happened again. And again. By and by I had six ancient suitcases and they sat in my bedroom in a stack. I wondered what was going on. Why did the voices command this and what was to be done with them? I didn’t have enough $ to fill the car with gas.
After a time, I began to get invitations to teach massage for AIDS and trauma and to teach avoiding burnout during crisis work all across country. And so I left Boulder, though I thought I would live there forever.
I found more suitcases along the way and I had a traveling work where all the suitcases were well used. Sometimes just before a big trip, I’d find a wonderful “new” suitcase. Just before I met Marshall I found a really big suitcase and got to thinking I must be going on a really big trip! I certainly was – I moved from Vermont to Los Angeles to be with Marshall.
When we found our home in Vermont, I gave away most of the suitcases to an AIDS auction at a Quaker conference. Now I have a collection of maybe 25 leather bags instead.
I still go to the thrift shops and listen for voices. I’m still traveling for work and still on the big trip of my life with Marshall.
