The sweat was dripping down the small of my back and into my undies. I lifted the packing tape and turned a box over. The fan noisily pushed the cardboard-scented air over to me.
I opened a drawer and saw an old birthday card from the mini men. I put it in the box.
I dragged up some rubbish and had to jump over a small congregation outside Bill鈥檚 apartment upstairs.
鈥淎re you moving too, John?鈥� Louise asked.
I winked at Bill who had packed his life up to move to London.
鈥淵eah, I bought a place.鈥� That sounded good to me. Really good.
I returned to packing amongst three years of memories. Crayon marks on the walls, candle wax on the floor from the first party and a million mini men artworks up in the kitchen to come down.
All my best memories come back clearly to me. Some can even make me cry.
George came over with two Paddle Pops and kissed me gently on the lips. He made me smile. We sat on my couch with our feet up.
When he left, I still felt sad, but light enough to savour all the emotions in packing up my first own apartment.
From throwing out the plastic toilet seat the mini men used when they were three and two years old, and Kate falling asleep on my bed at a party, to my younger sister doing her hair in my bathroom. Bill and I made my boys鈥� fifth birthday cakes here.
Now we are all moving away. I will miss him. I will miss living here.聽 I won鈥檛 ever get used to friends leaving. I had just quietened my heart from Kate leaving.
I sat with Bill and had coffee this morning. We complained about the fire alarm waking us at 2am, and talked about the cute guys walking by.
As I grabbed him to say goodbye, I felt my throat tighten.
鈥淟ove you Bill.鈥� I rubbed his back and descended the stairs to the street below.
I took a deep breath, and then another.
To my Daddy Dearest,
I will forever remember the day I became the life of the party and fell asleep in your bed..complete with a bottle of beer in my hand! I love that place, I loved dancing to Kylie at 3am, I loved the copious amounts of red wine we consumed, I loved the gossip that was shared, I loved the company that was shared. I love that when I come home, there will now be a new place to share many many more new memories with you.
鈥淭he great thing in the world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving.鈥�
And eventhough I stand in one country and you in another, I look forward to the day that our directions are re aligned..and Im sitting right beside you.
Love you as much as one possibly could
xx
Dearest John
As I sit in Perth celebrating my miniman’s (ok he’s 6ft 2) 21st birthday celebration, I look back on our friendship, meeting the minimen and consider this part of my journey to be one of the highlights of my living in Sydney. (The London holiday highlights will remain just between you and me).
I like many of your readers have enjoyed the many trials and tribulations of the minimen, with you coping with being a single parent who continues to maintain a healthy and caring relationship with their mother, of your conquests and attempted conquests to name just a few, have brought many smiles to my face.
I used to think that I was the odd one out. Still visiting my ex-wife, staying with her and my son when I returned many times to Perth, even though work would have paid for my accommodation… You my friend have shown through your column and writing that being a gay dad and having a healthy relationship with the mother of one’s children is not something that is strange or abnormal but something that should be encouraged and nutured.
I too had a lump in my throat and a tear in my eye as you walked down those steps the last time from my apartment.
My friend, enjoy your new home, your minimen and relationship with their mother. You deserve the best and may it be just waiting around the corner for you.
Love Bill
xxxx
PS, thanks for explaining the George was holding two paddles pops when he stepped over me as he wasn’t wearing any undies and I wasn’t sure what dripped on me!!