NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE

Last night our family, my parents, and some old friends went to dinner. The intent was, one last get together. A couple, who are very close friends, are moving back to Indiana today. Uncle R.'s health has suffered greatly this year. They decided to retun to, what was once home. It still remains home for their family. They are not only friends, they are more like family. Over the last twenty-one years, they have came to be known as Aunt S. and Uncle R.. Our son's even call them their Aunt S. and Uncle R. This couple got transferred to Oklahoma with us in 1984. Our family, and hundreds of others. My parents, and many of their friends worked for either Western Electric, or Indiana Bell. Both of those companys closed, and the merged into AT&T You either transferred to one of the three locations that they offered, or you didn't have a job. To my dismay, my family and I found ourselves living on the other side of the country. As you can imagine, I was tramatized. It may as well have been Mars. I was only 14 years old at the time.

I had lived in the same house, and had the same friends all of my life. I seriously wanted to curl up and die. This rebellion of not wanting to be in Oklahoma, led me down a rough road. Many years of bad grades, and misbehavior. My grades were so bad. I spent an extra year in High School, just to graduate one year late. However, my younger brother never graduated from out actual High School at all. Everyone that we knew who had moved down here, took it very badly. We had to leave everyone, and everything that we had ever known. I can remember my Mom crying. She didn't even know how to get out of the neighborhood, in which we lived at that time. New state, new house, new neighbors, new friends, new schools. That was horrible. I don't wish that on anyone. I'm glad that, I have never put my son through anything like that.

Back to the story. Aunt S. and Uncle R. ended up buying the house across the street from us. That became my place to go, when I just needed to vent or talk. They only lived there for about five years. Although, I cherished every single year. My parents and I missed them terribly, when they moved to the next town over. Strangly enough, we all ended up moving to that same town. The same town, in which we all reside in to this day. It's home now, and I guess that we'll stay here. I make jokes that, they will probably have to carry us out of here feet first. I'm tired of moving, and don't plan on going anywhere. Well, atleast until the kids are grown. Never-the-less, we all knew what was going to happen after dinner.

It was going to be very sad. We all cried, but didn't say goodbye. My Mom told Aunt S. that she wasn't going to say goodbye. We'll just see you later. We will see them later. We have a family reunion to go to in Indianapolis next July. In reflection, it's always sad to see the ones you love, move away. Although, it is what they had to do. Again, Uncle R.'s health has been in poor condition this past year. You need your family to lean on, when things get rough. In tears, I'll see ya'll soon.