Day 352: Why must we keep our wits about us?

We started this morning with chocolate pancakes and then finally embarked on something we've been meaning to do for a while . . . college shopping! Though the process is a bit stressful in itself, and emotionally taxing because of its home-leaving implications, I managed to purchase almost everything I will need with the help of two of the world's best shoppers -- Mama and Nani!


The family returned home just as my chauffeur Kenneson pulled up to escort me to a day of merrymaking at Fairfax Corner. What was supposed to be a populous valedictory pow-wow for Nizar ended up being just us four enjoying hours of Kenneson antics, semi-professional massages, painful harmonization, and exotically flavored frozen yogurt.


At dinner, Patrick, Nizar, Kenneson, and our waiter Tyler took especial pleasure in making an absolute fool of me, lobbing joke after joke as I, the "needy female," sat helplessly eating my "fried whatever." Kenneson banned cell phones during the meal, and I removed mine from our pile o' pagers only to take a photograph of . . . the pile o' pagers.


But even the utter joy and mindlessness of the day wasn't enough to distract from the wall of realization that hit me when I bid Varlet #1 farewell. These boys have carried me through this year (and the last!) and it's odd to think that we won't have another "VDV" meeting until Thanksgiving.


Kenneson and I did our best to dull the pain with the volume of our music on the way home, finding nothing but absolute rubbish on the radio. We settled for classical, and cranked Kenneson's speakers higher than ever before. I'm home now, thrilled at my day but wary of the goodbyes that lie ahead.

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