And In The End...

D: "Well, we're ready to head out."
Me: "I see. All packed and ready then?"
D: "Yep. How are you managing?"
Me: "I'm at 97.2% now. All I have is my bed, some clothes and a few odds and ends."
D: "Ah. Good."
Me: "Yep."
D: "Yep."
Me: "Oh, I found that QTV poster print of Smitty & Lon that you printed out and hung in the office amongst my stuff. Did you mean to leave it or..."
D: "Nah, I figured that you should have it. I can print another later but I thought you'd like one of your own for... uh... for wherever you call home next."
Me: "Thanks, dude. I'll definitely hang it up. Wherever I end up, that is."
D: "Not quite the productive year we'd planned for, was it?"
Me: "No. Not quite. I mean, don't get me wrong. I guess things just changed is all."
D: "Yeah."
Me: "Yeah. Still, no hard feelings, dude. I'm happy for you and your gal. You're about to do something that I've talked about for years... Moving away from this state altogether."
D: "Funny, isn't it? I always thought you'd be the one to go first."
Me: "True. But that's what life is about. Making choices. Heh."
D: "Still, perhaps this is one of those turning points, ya know?"
Me: "Yeah. I was talking about this with a pal of mine yesterday on this subject."
D: "Oh?"
Me: "Indeed. Something along the lines of you being gone not exactly a bad thing. In fact, it'd possibly be a chance to... Well, stretch my wings a bit directly on my own terms, I guess was the point."
D: "What, like QTV's been holding you back?"
Me: "Something like that, I suppose. Maybe not exactly."
D: "Hardly. Dude, QTV's been mostly yours as far as the site's gone. I'm not meaning that to sound in a bad way. I'm just saying that there's a lot of your voice in there, not just mine. You can still claim it as your own. Build it how you will, in whatever direction that you will. Remember, that's how we started this thing in the first place. Two guys goofing off, putting random stuff up there that we thought was cool. Don't give up on that idea just because I'm not around."
Me: "Oh, I wasn't thinking of giving up on it at all. I'm just lacking direction with it."
D: "Start with what you know. Photoshops, Adventures, Stories. The rest will come as it evolves, ya know?"
*Silence*
D glances at his watch as his girlfriend bellows his name to hurry up.
Me: "Well, I, uh... Err..."
D: "Yeah. I know what you mean."
Me: "What, that we've arrived at the uncomfortable stage of our conversation?"
D: "Yeah. The goodbye."
Me: "Well, fuck, it's been almost seven years that we've been friends."
D: "Well, I'll only be up the road after all..."
Me: "400 miles is hardly 'up the road,' Dude."
D: "This from the guy who so casually waved his hand at driving to California, Las Vegas, Orlando and New Orleans on so many trips..."
Me: "Yeah, that was before a 800 mile round trip would run me $100+ in gas. Shit, for $100 a few years ago, I made it to Orlando and a third of the way back."
D: "Yeah. Still, we'll keep in touch."
Me: "Oh, of course. I'd like that. Open invite for beer whenever you're in town."
D: "Deal. And if you ever have that burning desire to visit beautiful OK City, the same is true."
Me: "Sweet. Oh, and I'll run the keys by the landlord for ya."
D: "Oh? Thanks! That's cool of ya!"
Me: "No problem."
D: "Yeah."
Me: "Yeah."
D: "Well."
Me: "Yep."
Girlfriend: "DOUG! WE HAVE GOT TO GO!"
D: "Guess that's the cue, eh?"
Me: "Yeah... Fair winds, dude. Oh, and I totally farted in the back of the U-Haul just so you'd have something to remember me by!"
D: "How thoughtful! Glad I left a Cleveland Steamer in the upper deck of your toilet then. Wouldn't want you thinking I didn't care, right?"
*Laughter*
Me: "Alright, get the fuck out of here before we turn this goodbye into a Hallmark Channel moment."
D: "Yeah. Wouldn't want to get all weepy and stuff. Manly men don't do that kind of shit. Nor do they tell each other that they'll miss each other, right?"
Me: "Course not. Missing people's for the FBI. Now, make with the scooting already. You're givin' me a headache."
D: "Fine. Catch ya later, man."
*Grins and extends a hearty handshake.*
Me: "You too, dude."

I stood there and watched my pal drive off, his girlfriend in close pursuit in her car. They were on their way to adventure.

Myself? I had a storage shed to fill and a few last nights to enjoy in the calm quiet of what is now my place. Can't get any simpler than that.