2004.10.31
Prose Passage of the Moment
"So," he said, "Janet tells me you're an emotional wreck, too. How long have you been broken up?"
"About a month," I stammered. This was not at all what I'd imagined would happen--the two of us bitching about our failed relationships. And yet, now that we'd started, I realized that I would much rather commiserate with Seamus than date him. "We split up suddenly," I heard myself say. "Just a few weeks ago, we were in Sears, shopping for a DVD player. And then another week later, he's emptied all his stuff out of my apartment. It makes you see how flimsy everything is, not just relationships, but everything."
Seamus made a low purr in his throat--an oddly sympathetic sound. "You're not just losing a person, you're losing all your old habits. Suddenly, you don't know who you are." His voice went husky. "The nights are the worst."