A Fond Farewell
Life as I've known it will shortly change. In 6 days, I will be a married man. Finally. Those who know our story will appreciate that last thought. It has been a long while since that Sunday morning when we smiled at each other across the room, later walking together to our cars, engaged in genuine conversation. I think I knew even at that moment that she was different. And she is. So am I. We embarked on a long odyssey of long distance correspondence, ill parents, lack of communication with same, apartments, bed bugs, hurricanes, grad school, pets, change of churches, and weddings. Sonia and I attended lots of them. Most locally, but also in Chicago, San Diego, and Scranton, PA. Now it's our turn.
And now I sit and ponder the last days of my bachelorhood. Almost done. And good riddance, really. Some have offered their condolences, stating that my privacy is done. Well, as I've stated before, I've spent significant amounts of time alone in my 40 years. I anticipate waking up with my bride, stealing a kiss on the way to work, cooking together, all of that. I've had years of living in solitude amongst my artifacts. I am someone who needs, craves alone time, but so is Sonia. We've already dealt with this. Certainly will be more challenging now that we'll occupy the same space, but we'll deal. Us only children can read the signals, mostly non-verbal. We'll know when to let the other be.
Oh, but the pondering. I can recount all sorts of bachelor stories-not necessarily raunchy ones but rather all those quiet nights I sat and listened to Sonny Rollins blow his brains out, right there in my apartment, with little regard to time or my neighbors. The many hours of film appreciation. The relentless consumption of ice cream straight from the carton. The Heineken and cold fried chicken, the piles of laundry. Well. I've gotten quite a bit tidier in the last several years (you should've seen my apartments in the 90s), but now we'll be an organizational team. Building each other up. Forgiving our flaws.
Maybe I'll miss being able to do whatever whenever. It'll be a fleeting longing, for I'm about to trade an abode of loneliness for a home. I can look back and remember drifting off to sleep many, many nights, thinking that in some unimaginable future I would have someone to gaze upon before the Sandman appointment. I look back on that younger self with some pity, and now try to somehow to convey to him that he just needs to hang on.....
And now I sit and ponder the last days of my bachelorhood. Almost done. And good riddance, really. Some have offered their condolences, stating that my privacy is done. Well, as I've stated before, I've spent significant amounts of time alone in my 40 years. I anticipate waking up with my bride, stealing a kiss on the way to work, cooking together, all of that. I've had years of living in solitude amongst my artifacts. I am someone who needs, craves alone time, but so is Sonia. We've already dealt with this. Certainly will be more challenging now that we'll occupy the same space, but we'll deal. Us only children can read the signals, mostly non-verbal. We'll know when to let the other be.
Oh, but the pondering. I can recount all sorts of bachelor stories-not necessarily raunchy ones but rather all those quiet nights I sat and listened to Sonny Rollins blow his brains out, right there in my apartment, with little regard to time or my neighbors. The many hours of film appreciation. The relentless consumption of ice cream straight from the carton. The Heineken and cold fried chicken, the piles of laundry. Well. I've gotten quite a bit tidier in the last several years (you should've seen my apartments in the 90s), but now we'll be an organizational team. Building each other up. Forgiving our flaws.
Maybe I'll miss being able to do whatever whenever. It'll be a fleeting longing, for I'm about to trade an abode of loneliness for a home. I can look back and remember drifting off to sleep many, many nights, thinking that in some unimaginable future I would have someone to gaze upon before the Sandman appointment. I look back on that younger self with some pity, and now try to somehow to convey to him that he just needs to hang on.....
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