Farewell Jess!

It would have been impossible for me to leave without seeing Jess one more time before I left. In my absence, she had moved to Adelaide to embark on her own exciting journey of a University education. Getting to Adelaide can sometimes prove a difficult prospect if you don't own a car; it's a good five and half hour drive from Broken Hill. Thankfully, the people of Broken Hill are oft required to go to Adelaide for various events and shopping excursions and Heath and his family, close friends of the Eyles, were heading there for a figure skating competition and had an extra seat.

I arrived in Adelaide on Friday and anxiously waited for Jess to meet me at a convenient spot. I didn't know what to expect upon seeing Jess again. Because of my inability to healthily deal with my bitterness and anger after the breakup, our last parting four months ago was not on the most positive of terms. Thankfully, our reunion proved to be positive, like long lost friends finally seeing eachother again.

My four day was quite uneventful, but relaxing. On Friday night, I went to a nightclub with Jess and her friends, which was lots of fun and met her new future roommate. Saturday was a recovery day and the over next couple days, I just hung out at Jess's place while her and her roommate were working.

Monday night, we had Jess's Uncle Stephen and Aunt Valmai over for dinner. Throughout my year, I've spend quite a few nights at their place, so it was nice to finally cook them a nice meal. I made two styles of fajitas, chicken and zucchini/corn/avocado with homemade tortillas, which all turned out well (I didn't try the vegetable fajitas because of my dislike of both zucchini and avocado). It was nice to see Stephen and Valmai again before I left.

I was scheduled to leave Tuesday morning around seven, but Jess had leave an hour before that to work. Our plan was to both get up early. I'd cook breakfast and make a cup of tea while she showered, then we'd eat together and spend some last few, probably awkward moments before our big goodbye. I was awoken by a frantic Jess at ten minutes to six. There was no time for breakfast or tea. She quickly got ready with just enough time for a long hug. We exchanged no words; none were needed. She flew out the door and speeded away to work.

It was probably the best way to part anyway. There was no time for thinking; no time for cheesy parting words; no time for tears. We'd been through enough over the last two and a half years to know what we'd say anyway.

It's hard to see our lives diverging in two different directions when once we had thought we'd share paths forever. I'm not bitter or angry anymore; I've accepted how things have transpired. If I had never made the attempt to make this work, I would have been stuck, wondering what might have been if I'd only made the jump. Even though it didn't work out, this experience has pushed my life into a competely new direction and sent me on a great adventure that has changed me forever. I'll spare you the expected Robert Frost quote. Sometimes things need not be said.