One of the more gentle amusements of the Camino is how certain pilgrims from our path’s past tend to resurface sporadically at seemingly random way-stations, and such was the case tonight with Pascal – a n overtly gruff fellow whose similarly-soft interior was not nearly as deeply buried under his callous tone and stern scowl as he liked to emit. It was a surprise to see him again, no doubt, seeing as how the last time I had done so was at a tiny donativo underpass just past the town of Beduer; a rest-stop where I had gently wished him well and then intentionally – and I thought quite subtly – left the raincoat that Nadine had given me that morning behind to be used by a subsequent traveler. Well, it turns out that Pascal had noticed my apparent forgetfulness, and had been carrying that same raincoat with him ever since – in the hopes of seeing me again one day and returning it to me on the Path. And here he was in Lectoure – some seven days later – gruffly doing just that!

“Be happy, noble heart, be blessed for all the good thou hast done and wilt do hereafter, and let my gratitude remain in obscurity like your good deeds.” ~ Alexander Dumas

Filed under: Peace Pilgrimage #02: Walking HOME (2019) by Scaughdt