Planting the seed

I got a text around mid-October regarding a trip to India with my friend and boss, Denise. She and I were to go to India the first part of the year 2010 to do some dental work in a clinic at an Ashram in the northern part of India. She got sick with a bad kidney infection and we had to cancel the trip. We had a credit on the airline, so she decided she'd use hers. Texted me about the trip. Told her I'd think about it. Talked in person in November and decided to go for it. I would not have used the credit on my own, and she had signed up for a jungle retreat so that committed her to going. Gloria, Denise's 12-year-old daughter, was also signed up. The retreat was full by the time I came aboard, so I was going to hang out in town and do my own sight seeing. My visa application turned around quickly, and we were all set to depart the day after Christmas.