I was moved today. It doesnt happen very often
I was on my lunch break, and i walked across campus to the library, past a park bench. There were 2 people sitting there, close enough so i knew they were a couple, but not talking, not moving, just sitting. Silent and lost in their thoughts, the expressions on their faces so deep I couldnt read them. As I passed I chuckled to myself, and hoped that N and I would never turn out to be one of "those" couples, that sit there in their old age, with nothing to say.
An hour later, i passed again. They were gone, but there was a yellow rose on the bench. The tag read "Happy birthday Michael. love mum and dad" I looked up and the bench had a plaque, In Memoriam. Michael.

I also feel torn. (its been an emotional day!) An old American boyfriend of mine is coming to London in a couple of weeks to start an "adventure" with his girlfriend. They're staying in london a month while he does language teacher training, then they plan to jet off to Bosnia or North Africa and teach English for a year. I bear him no ill will, in fact I hardly speak to him anymore, but Im torn because I really want to talk this over with him. Unless he's changed dramatically, he is not going to be ready for this. For a start, they have one way tickets. A sure fire way to be stopped at immigration if you're a young american couple. His savings are in dollars, (and we all know how far they go in london!!) and his girlfriend isnt even sure where she wants to go to teach. I really cant see them surviving teaching in a remote village in a foreign country, and thats if they have enough money to get there after a month of london! A part of me thinks this feeling is because I care, and a part of me thinks its because I dont want them invading my turf, enjoying the things I did (like go to Eastern Europe). Im not sure.