Goodbye to a Friend

"Goodbye to a friend" is the subject line of the emails we get at work whenever they announce that someone is leaving, and it’s the title of the email we got two weeks ago when our boss announced to us that Mike was leaving to take a job in NYC.

I knew about the job and the resignation already, but it was sort of official once it was announced to everyone. And the last few weeks have been a flurry of work activity, finishing things up and passing things over to me. Last week we had his good-bye party, and I've been trying to get used to not having him at work. Tonight he and I hung out for the last time . . . at least the last time for quite awhile. He's leaving PA for good on Friday.

I’ve written here many times about my dislike of changes in general, and it’s sadder when the person leaving is a good friend that you see and work with five days a week. The other day I was sorting my work emails by sender, and I realized I had over 1400 from Mike (runner-up to this is my boss, with a scant 350 or something). Most of emails are just a few lines, asking to check over some copy or exchanging some work gossip or general ridiculousness. And yet not having that anymore is what makes it hardest, I think. The end of the everyday.

Obviously we’ll talk again. I think it’s practically impossible in this world to stay disconnected, what with blogs and email and cell phones and everything. It’s not like he’s going to Siberia . . . quite the opposite. And of course this is an exciting thing. For him, and for his girlfriend, who he’ll actually get to see more than two weekends a month now.

And they both read this blog, so I’ll quit talking about them like they aren’t here.

In other news . . . I cut all my hair off.