over lunch of take out chinese, a friend told me he was over his ex. it has been decently long - about a year - since he and his boyfriend broke up. "i thought you were long over him," i said. "this time," he said, "i'm really over him."
we had similar conversations before. i just humored him by asking what was it this time that did the trick. "i threw away all his stuff," he said. "the letters, the ratty shirts."
this is maybe why we are such friends. we are such fools to think this does it:discarding away stuff, once holy relics.
i remember, he and his boyfriend took this long weekend to vermont once. when he got back, he talked about the trip like they went on a pilgrimage to Lourdes. the chiming of the train wheels grinding on the track as they slowed towards the town like prayer bells tinkling at communion.
i watched my friend down his egg drop soup without relish. the once plump yolk, fork-pierced then bled into the soup. its yellow, persistent in the sallow broth.
