so long, farewell

A couple of weekends ago I went to a good-bye barbecue for one of my old (not in age, just in how long we've known each other) friends, Johnny McC. He's not going too far... just down to Cali to be closer to his lovely girlfriend.

It was a very bittersweet afternoon. It turned out to be a mini high school reunion of some of our closest friends--but definitely not all. There were many that, in a perfect world, we would have loved to have been there. I've seen most of them various times since high school, some more than others of course, but some of them hadn't seen each other at all since we graduated seven years (yikes!) ago. In that respect it was a very sweet afternoon spent catching up with friends.

I don't think the bitter part has completely set in yet--that when I said "good bye" to John it wasn't just a normal hug at the end of any gathering, it was a hug that marked the end of his Washington residency. Craziness.

While I am sad that he is gone, I know he'll be back and it won't be the last time we spend time together. It may be months or longer (hopefully not too much longer!) before I see him again, but one of the great things about these types of friendships is that it doesn't matter how much time passes, we can still pick up right where we left off... with another feet-picture.

so long, farewell, auf weidersehen good bye

I hate to go and leave this pretty sight