Utopia

You can go ahead and try to find it if you want. In fact, I dare you to try to find it. Go ahead. Buy every map, look through every single country, on every island, near every river or lake or ocean…but I can pretty much guarantee that you won’t find it. I’m not even sure if it really exists, or it’s just a figment of my overactive imagination, which has already gotten me in trouble so many times before. Maybe…the place is simply a dream. A place I made up in the back of my mind, the doors opening whenever I begged for entrance…a quick getaway from the chaos of my life. I’m not even sure anymore, and I don’t think I will ever be certain. Whether I ever find out or not, this place is my utopia. I can’t tell you why it makes me feel the way I do, or why I treasure it so much, but this place means everything to me, as I’m sure it means everything to the citizens living in it.1

I call this place…this dreamland…Crindo. I’m not quite sure where the name derives from, because I have never bothered to research it. Crindo…with its beach covered with soft squishy sand, tickling the bottoms of your feet whenever you choose not to wear shoes. It goes in between the toes, and sometimes I just close my eyes to the soft heaven I manage to find myself on top of. It’s so peaceful and beautiful there, with the sweet smell of salt water that always lingers in the air, and the soft rushing sound of water gently pushing against itself, small waves rippling through. It’s surrounded by deep blue water on every corner and every side, and you can see the horizon perfectly. During sunset, Crindo is the most beautiful place to be. The sun always sets just so, illuminating the perfect cloudless sky in a light orange hue. Sometimes, there’s a mixture of blue and purple, and it simply possesses the power to steal your breath away. I always stay on the beach, sitting until the sun’s head lays to rest, covering the sky in a black blanket. Sometimes, it’s so easy to feel tempted to paint a picture of the sunset, capturing the moment forever in a squared jail. Never to let it go, and carrying it wherever you want. Sometimes I wish I could stay there forever, lost in that one area, but not waiting to be found. But I know that’s not possible, because reality will always pull me back.2

Ten miles away from Crindo is the city, covered in small restaurants, apartments, hotels, and cute little stores that sell nearly everything, from seashells to T-shirts, to salt-and-pepper shakers. The roads are always bustling with people, running from here to there, hands wrapped tightly around their loved ones. It is always such a treasure just to watch them move through their lives so easily, breezing past me, all laughs and smiles and friendly faces. 3

One time, I saw two men hand in hand, their eyes locked evenly with each other as if there wasn’t another person on Earth alive besides them. My eyes had widened and I immediately looked around, gauging for people’s reactions. I saw no one giving the two dirty looks, or looks of utter disgust. Instead, I saw a few people flash smiles in their direction, sharing looks that read, “isn’t that just sweet?” with each other. One couple was an elderly couple, their granddaughter caught in the middle of them. That’s one of the things I love about Crindo. The people here treat everyone as if…they’re one and the same, with the same goals and dreams…and the same rights. It always astounds me to no end. One time, I saw two guys kissing on a bench just near an ice cream stand. A big tall man stood near, his face flushed and painting a look of complete inhibited shock. His stomach hung over his belt, and his head was covered in strands of hair in a scam attempt to hide his balding head. He gave the two a dirty look, and started preaching them about doing such “inconsiderate, disgusting, and sickening” things in front of an audience. He said other words as well, his face growing redder with every word, but I probably shouldn’t say them. The two had simply looked at him, unmoving, unyielding, and hands chained together. All around, a crowd had gathered and a petite lady with an infant in her hands told the man to leave the kids alone, because they had every right to show their love. The man’s face had gotten impossibly redder, and he opened his mouth to speak, obvious he was going to blow up soon. Another man, possibly the lady’s husband, stepped forward into the man’s personal area and told the man to leave if he didn’t like the way people lived and treated each other in Crindo. He told the man that he didn’t have to like it, but he could easily have just turned away respectfully instead of giving a hate speech. Many people threw in a “yeah!” and the man’s eyes darted back and forth, looking for an ally in a sea of people. He gulped, before pushing past the younger man and angrily stalking away, swearing quietly under his breath. Everyone exploded in applause, and the two on the bench gave a grateful smile. That’s just how things are here in Crindo. Everyone respects one another, and if you decide to judge someone, you’re immediately turned judged as an outcast, as if you’re not worth the trouble. It’s simply amazing.4

The most popular sports in Crindo are beach volleyball and beach soccer. There are teams for both, their last names printed on the navy and silver jerseys. The tournaments are a big deal, and everyone comes to watch them, from parents to teachers, to the mayor. I’m a huge fan of soccer, so naturally I go to every game, standing at the sides and cheering on the teams. 5

Nighttime is the second most beautiful place in Crindo. The lights are all lit up, from the Ferris wheel to the signs on the stores. There are people strolling hand in hand, their bright rollerblades cycling with color. Live music is always playing at the corner of the street, and you have to fight not to tap your foot to the infectious beat. It’s almost as if everyday is a celebration of one thing or the other. The mayor’s birthday, the kindergarten teacher’s anniversary to her husband, the teenager’s graduation…or simply being alive and being able to enjoy living.6

The warm night air tickles your body, and all you have to do is close your eyes and take everything in. The calm heat, the rush of bodies and laughter surrounding you, the smell of hotdogs and cotton candy that lingers in the air…everything fills every single one of your senses and you just feel at ease…at home…untouchable. 7

So there we go…that’s Crindo. The peaceful…joy-filled utopia that happens to belong to me, though the question remains whether or not it exists. If you’re up to it, you can really go check a map for it. But it won’t be there, nor will it be online. Trust me, because I’ve tried to find it. Maybe I’m going crazy. Or maybe I’m the only person who is supposed to know about Crindo. If that’s the case…then tough luck to you. 8