Oct 2/3

So, it's October 2nd, I am tired as hell. I'm at home, watching the Vice Presidential debates, drinking PBR. Shaun was supposed to watch it with me, but the debate's been on for 35 minutes and no sign of Shaun. 

He arrives about 40 minutes into the debate, I can tell he has a few drinks in him. (He and his friends went out to celebrate Shaun leaving Chicago. It was Thursday, the 2nd, Shaun was due to leave on the 4th.) I give Shaun a quick 'hi' and continue watching the debates. Shaun can see it's 'quiet time' in my apartment, so he finds a chair and sits down. 

The debate finishes (Palin's so smart), Shaun and I talk a little about it. I am feeling a little territorial, would like to just lay back and

 go to sleep in my bed, not talk or anything. But

 Shaun keeps walking around my apartment and moving things around.

"What are you doing Shaun?" I ask, sitting up from my bed.

"Packing. I leave tomorrow at 6am."

"What?! You said you were leaving on Saturday!"

"Ya, it got moved to tomorrow." Shaun flies stand-by. His wife, Beth, works for Lufthansa and gets him discounts on flights. So he's at the mercy of what she can get him.

I lay back in my bed, a little mad of Shaun's 'matter-of-fact' way of telling me he's leaving. 

We had plans tomorrow, I thought. Screw this. Now I feel sad and I should be sleeping.

Laying in bed trying to fall asleep, I feel Shaun sit on the bed, then hug me.

"I am going to miss you, I love you," he says.

"Shaun, it's cool. Let's wait until tomorrow morning. I love you too."

I wake to a shining lamp, Shaun gathering up his things. He's wearing a suit and tie, because he's flying stand-by as a spouse of an employee, so they want him to look nice.

"What's up?" I say, just to acknowledge I am awake.

"Hey, good morning," he says.

I lay in bed and watch him gathering all his stuff. The apartment is silent.

"Well," Shaun says, everything in order.

I hopped out of bed, and grab my camera,

 acknowledging the importance of this moment for my blog. We take a few pictures.

We hug, I kiss him on the cheek.

"Shaun, you will be alright. Okay? Everything will be alright. I love you and I am very proud of you."

"I am proud of you too. I love you too."

"This is great, This is exciting. I can't wait to visit."

"Ya, you will have to come out."

We embrace again, and I wish him a safe trip. I take a few more pictures of him in my doorway.

Shaun lived with me in September of 2008. 

Oct 1 (better late than never)

Shaun, Christine and I went to Lula's in Logan Square.  It would be the last night Christine would get to see Shaun and she wanted to celebrate. (Christine traveled to New York the next day).

Shaun was excited he got hired on a Bank of America as a personal banker. I could tell having a job when he arrived to California was a big deal, and not surprising---his pregnant wife was in California too.

Speaking of, Shaun was bragging about the most recent ultra-sound to Christine and me. He always wanted kids, used to talk about it when we first moved in together. It's pretty endearing---a 20yr old man talking about how he wants kids. Well, ready or not Shaun...