MOOP!

Assuming we leave on time, I've got a little more than an hour left in this particular part of the world. Sixty six minutes, we can call it.

I am, of course, politely terrified. Because I'm serious when I say that I really truly don't intend to ever LIVE in Columbia again. I'll visit, sure. But not the sort of complete move-in that I've been doing.

Yesterday, I spent the morning wandering around and saying goodbye. I skipped one --the park on the left. I've got the time to go say goodbye now, but I almost like it better like this. As a "see you later." It is, after all, where I grew up. More so than any other spot on the paths system, moreso than my one place that is mine alone, more so than anything else there ever was, that playground has watched me age.

I think it approves of me.

For all the vitriol I spew, Columbia was a really wonderful place to grow up, and it's really all because of the paths. The paths and their woods and the playgrounds. Places to run around, places to sled, places to play silly kid games and silly teenaged games. The tree under which Veronica and I would lie for hours just talking, the swingset of synchronity, the equipment for playing blind tag.

The whole thing is a long long chain of memories. Here is where Chris hugged me close and special, here is where I slipped and fell for capture the flag, here is where Veronica and I dammed the creek, here is where I had a moment of sheer badassary. Here and here and here and there, and dammit, they've captured fifteen years of my memories, I have to have some affection for them.

So, goodbye Columbia. Good luck, take care of yourself. I'd love it if your grew into a place a grown-up could live in, but that's not happening, and honestly, that's okay.

You were, for this child, perfect.

~Sor
MOOP!

I don't nessecarily avoid goodbyes.

Or I do. But I do it for my own petty reasons, and it rarely has anything to do with the goodbye itself. 'swhy I missed the senior goodbyes at Grease. My own petty reasons.

I don't nessecarily avoid them. But I think I may miss an important one.

Cause y'see. There's this girl. I've known her what...ten years now? 'salot of time when you're only seventeen.

And so me and this girl. We get on alright. Always have. Probably always will --it's that kind of friendship.

And hell. Might as well just say it. She's my Best Friend. She's the one I go crying to when I need to. She's the only person in the entire world that I know I can argue with on a regular basis, because of how much I trust her, and how much I trust our friendship. She means...she means a lot to me.

She's not just any girl.

And she's leaving.



It always happens that way, from what I've seen. Senior year ends, and everyone scatters to the four winds.

Sure, Gingur and Rohan are together at College Park. But all us girls from the group?

Britt's goin' somewhere in New Yawk. Anne's off to Nashville. KT's down south, at Salsbury, and V's up North, at Mount St. Mary's.

And me?

After they've all gone their seperate ways, I'm going waaaaaay the fuck north to a small school in a big city. I never thought I'd be the city girl. That was always more V's bag. Sure, I like cities, and I LOVE Boston, but still. I like it better where theres trees to climb and stars to be seen.

But there's the important bit in there. V's goin' to the mountains of Marelind. (Hokay, so I got a touch of the Bawl'more accent in me. Sue me.) I'm goin' up ta Bawston.

That's a long fucking way apart. That's a whole lot more then eight houses away.

And well. I don't know when she leaves. Other then that she leaves tomorrow.

I don't know if I'll get to see her. I spent some time with her today, saw her at Target and gave her a hug.

You ever think about that? The idea that "that hug" may have been your last?

I normally don't sweat goodbyes. Hell, last day of school, I was more eager to just get the fuck outta graduation rehersal. But this one? This one's important.

So yeah. V, if I don't get to say it tomorrow, I'm sure as hell saying it here, tonight. 'Cause hell, man! You're my Best Friend. You have been for ten years now.

So Veronica?

Goodbye.
And Good luck.

All my love.
~Sor