Abandoned: Part 1

Meg finally followed through on one of her threats: she took the kids and left me--for her parents' house, of all places. At least she let me drive them to the airport and say goodbye--none of this flee-in-the-middle-of-the-night crap.

Of course I jest in my tone: Meg had planned this trip several months ago, and I will join her and the boys after spending a few weeks alone. Well, I still have my housemates, but they aren't much fun to me. I have been looking forward to this day for some time. Visions of projects I could accomplish, epic rides I could take on my bike, the literary blog entries I could whip out, and the freedom to do whatever I wanted flashed through my mind daily. Two years ago Meg left me for a week to visit friends and family in Utah, and I fondly remembered having what seemed the time of my life. If one week yielded that much awesomeness, how much could four weeks bring (so much it just might make my head explode!)? I don't know what has changed in two years, but I think I was wrong.

Everybody was excited when they woke up Monday morning, save maybe Meg, who was more anxious than anything. The boys were so wound up I had to take them outside and walk around the block a few times because they just couldn't contain themselves in the house waiting for the clock to strike 8:00 a.m. so we could depart. Our journey to the airport, ticketing, and security were as smooth and uneventful as you could hope for, and that's where my knowledge of the trip ends.

I returned the mini-van to our garage (where it has sat idle for the last week), changed into my riding attire, and rode my bike into work. Spent a normal day at the office, changed clothes again, and rode home. That part hasn't changed. What's different is I return to a quiet, empty house. Things are in order, but there is no love to encircle its arms around. The kitchen is clean, but there is no meal to share but with the invisible memories of the past. My nights are more restful, but my soul hungers for companionship.

Long bike rides, meals catered to my exact whim, and uninterrupted reading spurts are nice and all, but they don't fill in the void that my family once filled. On a positive note, Google sent me my Nexus 7 the day after my family left. I bought the first Google phone several years ago (and I still carry it around, though I rarely use it), so it made sense for me to buy the first Google tablet. I'm a bit of a Google fan-boy, and I use most of their products, but the Nexus 7 is totally awesome. If you are considering a tablet, just buy a Nexus 7. It has helped keep me distracted from what's missing in my life, but it hasn't completely blocked all the pangs and longings for my loved ones that pop up whenever I see signs of their past.

The week alone has gone by much faster than I could have imagined, but maybe that's a good thing this time around. Is this how I'm going to feel when Aaron flies the coop and goes to college (I don't have to worry about Eddie ever leaving; he plans on keeping Meg and I company for a very long time)?

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