Love story : Dee and Dang

I don’t remember what time I got up on Sunday. It’s been several weeks since all this happened, anyway, and I’m afraid my memory of the events are fading a little.

Anyway, I got up. Dang and I ate (I had cereal and soy milk…. stomach was still hating me), showered dressed, etc. There was nothing special going on, other than dealing with the feeling of approaching doom.

I spent the day slowly…. the day before I was in the hospital, and now I was packing for Korea. I had spent the last 4 weeks in absolute joy- saving my misery for the end of my time in Thailand and the beginning of my time in Korea. Now that I look back, I think to myself, “No sane person would attempt such a feat.” Hey, I’m nothing if not stubborn and determined.

I can’t say much more about the day’s events, Sunday 10, 2008. It wasn’t eventful, but it was miserable…. not because of the shape of my battered body, but because of the shape of my mournful heart. I was leaving my Love. I had just found her, and here I was leaving already. My grief was profound. If I described my pain as I was feeling it, you would fall to the ground and weep. You would not be able to contain your sorrow. I would bring you to you knees. So, I will save you the emotional trama you would surly experience by speaking no more of that pain.

If I weren’t so sick, I wouldn’t have slept that night, but I was exhausted still; so, sleep did find me. I wish that it had not, though. I feel asleep, and the next thing I knew, it was time to get up and leave for the airport.

I arose from bed, showered, packed the last of my possessions, and said goodbye to the place that had become my home. This place that embraced me so with the fondest memories of my life would, very likely, go unseen by me ever again.

“Goodbye Dang’s room.”

We caught a taxi to the airport. Thankfully, it’s about a 45 min. drive from IT Mansion to the airport. At this point, every second is as precious metal and jewels. I soaked in every bit of Dang that I could (my eyes tear up as I think of this moment). My Love is sitting next to me- beautiful, strong, and possessing all that is good in life.

The airport came too quickly. I was first in line, and I had no time to spare. So, because there was not time to spare, there was no measure of torment spared for Dang and I. How do you say, goodbye?

One always dreams of romantic and passionate kisses; lingering hugs; and thunderheads and lightning bolts. The truth is, you are so alienated by your grief, you forget to be epic. All you can manage is to stumble all over yourself (I am crying now).

“I love you, Papa!!!!!”

“I love you, Mama!!!!”

“It’s only a year, Papa!!!!”

“Only a year, my Love!!!!”

The next thing I knew, she was disappearing from my sight as I entered the cue to have my passport checked. At that moment, I wanted to run…. run back to my Love’s arms, run away from any place that didn’t have her, run from my responsibilities and never let her out of my sight again!!!!

That didn’t happen.