the 6th week

I've decided to keep these chronicles going, and this will probably be the hardest one I've written so far. Life without Mo has been rough, and recounting our last days together doesn't promise to lift my mood at all. I'm thankful that I have friends to help me through this rough decision and the unfortunate consequences, namely her not sharing in my life anymore. I promised not to turn this into a drama, and I'm sticking to that.

MLK Day. I had the day off, and I'm not even black! I went to Mom & Dad's, and Dad and I had a fire in the backyard with snow falling all around. We examined my car, found the exhaust leak that's been making my car smell acrid all the time. A $200 part, we ordered it and will replace it this weekend. Mom fed me some homemade chicken and dumplings, and I headed home amidst blustery snow showers. Interstate 75 was shut down from a massive car pileup due to the snow creating whiteout conditions. There were few injuries, but a 12-year-old girl was killed. She stepped out of her car and got hit by a passing car. Learning that made me feel sick. I don't deal well with the deaths of children. I took back-roads home, and Mo came over for a bit, and Blake came home from an extended weekend in Mason, and I met his girlfriend Traci. They're like carbon copies, so of course she's pretty cool. We headed over to Amos' and watched a movie called "The Room." Don't see it.

Tuesday. I worked 6:30-2:00. Ana called off sick, so lunch was crazy. Eric and I sat down, and he went over some actual Assistant Store Manager duties. Up to this point, I told him, "Assistant Store Manager has essentially been a made-up title." The cold was fierce today, and I spent the evening bundled up at home watching episodes of The West Wing with Ams. She headed home, and I watched a provocative documentary called "The World Without US", about what would happen if the USA brought all its troops from around the world home. Basically all hell would break loose.

Wednesday. I worked 6:30-1:30 and spent the afternoon hanging out with Mo, Isaac, and Ams. We watched the movie "Stake Land" and did some collective storytelling. Mo and Ams left and Isaac went to bed, and I did some light reading before passing out: The First Battle at Bull Run.

Thursday. I covered Ana's F.P. shift. Today was, in Amos' words, "Let's Get Fucked Day": a skeleton crew, insanely busy because of the cold, and two impromptu catering orders absent Mears. But we survived. I didn't get home till about 4:00, and I did some reading and finished laundry before spending some time at The Anchor. I jetted to Clifton to spend the evening with Amos and John, playing video games and watching stand-up comedians while dining on delivery pizza. 

Friday. By far the most difficult day of the week, and the most difficult of the year thus far. Mo and I broke up, and it was hard as hell. After it happened Ams came over to be with me, and when Blake and Isaac found out they invited me to Lebanon and Clifton for drinks. Being exhausted and certainly not in the mood for socializing, I was passed out by 9:30.

Saturday. I didn't sleep much last night, for obvious reasons. I went to The Anchor and then headed up to Dayton. Dad and I forsook the expensive part for a jerry-rigged patch over the leaking exhaust pipe. It cost $15 rather than $200, and the hope is that it actually works (so far, so good). It took us about five hours, and when we wrapped up I hurried back down to Cincinnati for an impromptu going-away dinner with Emily and Gabe. Isaac fixed a dish of chicken, asparagus, and potatoes, and we shot zombies on the Wii and watched "Jon Benjamin Has A Van." Josh and Ams were there, too, and they brought some hard cider. People filtered out, and Isaac's brother John came by. We went across the street to the Happy Hollow Inn, the definition of a dive bar, grotty with dim lighting. But the drinks are cheap and it's pretty chill, so I liked it. Isaac bought us a round, and a fellow named Doug at the end of the bar bought a round for us, since we're neighbors right across the street. 

Sunday. I went to The Anchor and then hurried up to Dusmesh for my Sunday Stuffing with Andy, Isaac, and Ams. I napped back home and went to The Anchor yet again, and the evening was spent hanging out with Isaac, Blake, and Traci: we went to the Happy Hollow Inn and had a series of shots, and then we all went back to the house and promptly went to bed.