So Long, Farewell

To My Dear Washington DC:

It’s time I’m honest with you. This might not be easy for you to hear but I have to say that it’s just not working out between us. I’m writing to tell you goodbye. I know this might come as a bit of a shock to you. I mean, it seems like days ago that I flew in on that cold Saturday in January, just yesterday when I sat looking out over a spring sunset across the Mall and made the decision to give you another shot. I didn’t expect this sudden departure and you shouldn’t feel bad- it’s not you, it’s me. Really.

I blame the distance between us on the fact that you just weren’t giving me anything to work with. I mean, I tried and tried and tried to become an employed member of you, District. But it just wasn’t happening. We both know this is true. How long did you think I would wait around for you to give me some kind of affirmation, some kind of monetary support? I’m a sensible girl and at a certain point a sensible girl has to stop hoping and act on the facts. That’s why I’m leaving you.

There were good times, and they were real, to be sure. I will never forget them. We had some beautiful times alone, you and me, our evening runs when we could just be together. But I think we were always best when we were with people. You have such beautiful friends who I will miss dearly: A, B and B who took me in and literally kept me going day in and day out for so long and became so important to me, C.ROB and CH who always, always, always made me laugh and are responsible for my “y’all’s,” HS my partner in the high highs and the low lows, PC my favorite preppy boy in the District, KMK I will never eat another cupcake and not think of you, and LJ, my constant companion, my strength and my newest best friend. Thank you, District, for sharing those parts of you with me. I am changed because of those relationships and deeply sad to see them go. I hope you don’t mind if I keep in touch with those friends, I don’t want the whole friend’s with the ex’s friends thing to be awkward.

Where will I go, you ask? I guess you could say that I’ve rekindled an old flame. He’s charming, he believes in me, and has taken me back with open arms. He’s everything I love, it just took me a bit longer to realize it. He said that if I move back now, I can go to school there in a year and save lots of money. He also said that I could live with my very best friends and see my younger brother on a regular basis. His name is Seattle, District and I have to be honest, you have nothing on him. He has my heart, always has.

I truly wish things had turned out different between us. We tried our best to make things work and I feel good about the effort we gave it. In the end though, our differences are just irreconcilable. I can’t keep trying to make it work when it’s clearly not going to. Please don’t forget me, as I won’t forget you. Don’t forget all the tears I leave scattered inside and outside of your Beltway, because I won’t. You haven’t made this easy on me. I leave you a different person I was, for the better I think. You represent equal parts success and failure in my life. Thank you for that.

A couple more thoughts, things I just need to get off my chest…

Will you tell all the females you know that leggings do not count as pants. I don’t know who told all of them it’s okay, because its not.
Will you also tell the customer service industry that they’re really mean sometimes. I’d like to give them the benefit of the doubt and think that they just don’t fully understand their job descriptions, serving customers. You might want to talk to somebody about that.
Also, I would have a talk with GoogleMaps to work out a few kinks in the system. I don’t think she fully understands your complexity.
Finally, if you can, will you please have a talk with the people who publish the Senate Employment Bulletin because it’s total crap. No one gets hired from that thing. It’s just cruel.

Thanks, District, it was real.
For the last time,
Your-
LC in DC