Saturday, March 22, 2010

“Kyle Samson was a brilliant young man.”
“He was always considerate when it came to others.”
“You could tell him absolutely anything and always rest assured that your secret would be kept safe.”
“I remember when he scored the game winning goal in Provincial Cup and stayed humble, stating it bounced off the defender’s thigh.”
“My favourite memory of Kyle was when he told me he loved me. But then he said goodbye.”
* * * * *
December 31, 2009
I am walking down the cobblestone path in Greenfield Park. My eyes wander, admiring the beautiful scenery. I keep a tight hold on Thalia’s hand; our fingers entwined. I stop to pull her up against me, stare into her bright, sapphire eyes. However I’m not just looking into her eyes. I am looking into reflections cast off of the sea and a pool full of memories.
“We only have one more week together, then it’s four whole months until school is over and we’ll see each other again.” Her thoughtful gaze met mine.
“Kyle, in four months we’ll both be out of university. Then what are we going to do, get jobs, move even further away from each other and spend our salaries paying for separate rent? What if this is when we’re meant to say goodbye?”
“It’s not. I just-I just know that we are not meant to say goodbye.”
“You’re right. I could never say goodbye anyways.”
And with that we turned back to the path, strolling down towards the gate held open to our inevitable future.

*****

Friday, March 14, 2010
2 months and 14 days later
“I’m going to surprise her.” I said, showing my roommate Zach the ring. The next day I was going to drive the sixteen hours from our school Stanford, to Thalia’s school, Washington State. It was there, on the steps leading up to Thompson Hall that I was going to propose to Thalia. We’ve been apart too long, even though we talk every day. I’ve finally come to understand that I am not and never will be ready to say goodbye to her.
When I called her, I was planning on informing her of my visit, but in desperation for her to be utterly astonished we stuck with the normal discourse. She asked me about my day, as I did to her. “I love you Thalia. Bye,” I mumbled before hanging up the phone. That was the first time I’d said goodbye to her since that day in the park. The selfish word still did not feel right escaping my mouth.
I vaguely saw it coming. I was too overpowered with exhaustion and anticipation that I wasn’t concentrating clearly. Why didn’t I pay more attention to the vehicles surrounding me? Thirteen hours into the trip, I was part of a side collision that left me dead.
*****
Saturday, March 22

….”Life, I believe is merely our imagination defining what we believe to be impossible. I never would have imagined you leaving us this early possible. But you did, so goodbye. I know I will never again hear your charming voice, feel your comforting touch or see your passionate smile. But those memories are ones that I will never forget. For I am saying goodbye to you in words, but not at all in my heart. In truth, I will never truly say goodbye.” Thalia turned, eventually reaching the big oak doors. Behind them lay Greenfield Park, a token of her lost relationship with Kyle. She sat down in the shadow of a tall fir tree, fingering the ring on her left ring finger and cried.