One of my very first friends in this new town was a little boy. I'm guessing he's somewhere around 12 or 13 years old. I met him the very first weekend I got Masala. We were walking on that Sunday afternoon when a German Shepherd bounded out of a house and down the street. I stared in horror as an older teenager went running after it. This boy stood on the sidewalk and watched. The dog eventually ran back toward the house where Rich grabbed it and returned it to the boy.
The boy didn't live at the house, but he lived nearby. I learned that he had two dogs, but they were smaller - a Chihuahua and a mixed spaniel.
A couple of mornings later, I met the kid at the bus stop. He recognized Masala and I recognized him as the kid with the German Shepherd. He corrected me and we introduced ourselves. His name was Aaron.
Over these last couple of months I have encountered Aaron on a weekly basis when I walk Masala. Usually it's in the afternoon as he's riding his razor home from a friend's house. A couple of weeks ago we discussed Halloween candy, and it was on his advice that I bought the Reese's cups.
Today Masala and I ran into Aaron on his razor, per usual. He played a little with Masala, we talked dogs, and then, sort of out of nowhere, he goes, "So, it sucks. I'm moving."
I immediately felt a tinge of sadness in my heart. "Really? When?"
"December."
"Wow. That's really soon. Where are you going?"
"Virginia."
Expecting him to say something about his dad getting a job or something, I asked, "Why you goin' to Virginia?"
"Well, my parents are getting a divorce, and my mom can't pay for the house by herself."
This poor, poor kid. Not only are his parents getting a divorce, but he's being uprooted from his friends at a time when he needs them most. I can't even convey to you what a cool kid Aaron is. First of all, he's adorable. He has really pretty latte-colored skin and he's so so nice. He seems smart, and he's really respectful of me. Plus, he likes my dog, so that gives him points in my book.
Not only does it suck for him, but I'm really bummed, too. He was kind of my first friend here, and I thought it was really nifty in that small town way that I'd sort of watch him grow up through these encounters on the sidewalk. Now we won't get to do that anymore. Now I'm not sure when will be the last time Masala wags his tail to see Aaron or when we'll talk about silly stuff our dogs do. It's not like we can keep in touch; it's just one of those things.
I could tell he was pretty sad, too. I wanted to give him a big hug and tell him everything would be ok, that he'd make friends in Virginia and that his parents getting divorced wouldn't be awful forever. But I couldn't. Because that would totally have been weird. Instead, I just stood there on the sidewalk, and let him talk about whatever he wanted, even though I had a gym class to get to. I think maybe he was stalling going home. As we walked by his house, it was strange knowing it may be the last time we cross paths. What do you say at a time like that?
I hope I see him again before he moves at the beginning of December. If not...good luck to you Aaron. I see bright things in your future.
3 comments:
This is such a sad post, as I finally get home, drunk, and absolutely giddy over a night w/ the cutest boy ever. I thought to myself, nothing could ruin this buzz, but this post did. Do I still love you? With all my heart! I'll call you later to tell you about the boy! Love you, Am.
This is such a sad post, as I finally get home, drunk, and absolutely giddy over a night w/ the cutest boy ever. I thought to myself, nothing could ruin this buzz, but this post did. Do I still love you? With all my heart! I'll call you later to tell you about the boy! Love you, Am.
While this post is indeed sad, it's also lovely. It's amazing how people can touch your life for only a brief moment, even if you're not sure that you will ever see them again. Thanks so much for sharing!
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