Thanks to all for the happy birthday wishes.

Yesterday was a quite sort of birthday as people were either far away from Springfield or sick…though I plan on doing a bit of belated celebration (after all…doing something late, is doing it very, very, very early from the right perspective).

Torrie gave me an awesome three foot gummy snake that is roughly the size of Lenore (I even took her out to compare). Thanks Torrie!!!

I talked on the phone with various family and friends. Talked to my little sister in New York (who I haven’t talked to in a while). We went on, a thousand words a minute, updating each other. It’s weird how that sibling relationship has changed since she went off to school. Not that I never talked to her or did anything with her when we were younger and at home (we were a close family)…but she was always the baby sibling and Nick and I did our own thing. Now…the conversations are much more of a peer nature…we even agreed that everyone had to go our for drinks when she got home (my little sister can drink with me at the bar……………….weird!).

Genenda called to wish me a happy birthday. It was a nice call. We talked for a long time (Barnes and Noble had to eventually kick me out). After the copious conversation with my ex, I was hit by a bittersweet…and very acute feeling of loneliness. So I drove back to my apartment…swishing the bitter and the sweet around in my mouth. The flavor stayed with me the rest of the night.

“It’s hard to believe
That I’m all alone
At least I have her love
The city she loves me.”
-Red Hot Chilli Peppers, “Under the Bridge”

Wait! Hold up.

Springfield…I don’t think you really love me. In fact, you treat me like crap sometimes. I mean…if you really loved me, maybe you’d stay awake with me once in a while instead of shutting down so early. I’ve done the morning thing all week…but have you given me any night time lately. NO! You always have a head ache…or road construction.

I get up for breakfast, every so often…but you hardly ever make me a cup of late night coffee. You never show me a midnight movie. This relationship is all going one way and I’m at the stinky end of the river run-off.

You’re not very nice to my friends…maybe if you were they’d come by and visit every once in a while. That’s cool…I’ll go visit them…but then you nag and nag and nag for me to come back and take care of one job or another.

What am I saying? Well…it’s over. I want to see other cities.

No…I don’t have a plan as such. I think I’ll go up north, visit some of my good buddies – Wauconda, Napperville, McHenry, and the whole Lake family (Island Lake, Crystal Lake, Lake Zurich, Round Lake…) – the old gang. I think I just want to be around my friends.

Then…I don’t know, I want to maybe try and see other cities. I might go visit Chicago…I’ve always liked her, we’ve had on and off flings going on for years…friends with benefits. Maybe I’ll go on some dates with Peoria. I know…she’s a bit skanky…but when she’s sober enough, she shows me a good time (even if I have to protect myself from all those diseases).

I think I’ll hang out with Bloomington and Normal. They’re a cute married couple and I’ve always had fun hanging with them.

Sigh…I guess this is it. I’ll be back in the Fall. Hopefully we can keep things from getting too weird. It’s time we parted ways Springfield…I hope we can be friends.

Ah…coping mechanism, thy name is Allegory