Once Upon A Time

I am doing something out of the ordinary this week. For starters - I'm actually eating dinner (gasp!) and I'm making plans to not dine alone. 

I have already met up with Brie which was great cos he's leaving for foreign lands in a week. And I had a lovely time, under the guise of work, with the LegalBeagle at Alexis last night. Tonight, I'm hosting my pseudo golf coach and friend Bob ~ celebrating his birthday (belated!) with him for the 1st time since I've known him (Mind you - Bobby was the one who orchestrated my smashing under the table session on my 30th!). Tomorrow night, Ballz and I will catch up again over dinner after many weeks of absence.

It is something out of the ordinary for I was the one who said - Let's meet up. And we all know I am the lousiest person on the planet in terms of friends to keep in touch. Yet, I felt that life is short and circumstances spiral lives beyond their control. And it was time I put my foot down to take back some semblance of control.

Once upon a time, no matter how busy the day got, my best buddy would never fail to squeeze in the couple of minutes to write me an email. And I on my part, would never fail to reply it as soon as the red envelope pops up on my Google talk. It's been months since I got an email from him and I have not taken the initiative to start one either.

Once upon a time, no matter how tired people got at the end of the day, my pals and I would somehow drag ourselves to the nearest watering hole, just to unwind over a drink and the looming dusk, talking about this-that-and-nothing-very-much. I have not seen my ex-colleagues in weeks, and they have not rung me either.

Once upon a time, no matter how dreadful traffic got, a man would get into his car, drive some distance to see two young'uns he called his own. And if he didn't get to see them, he would take note of the time of year and ask after them, their progress, their growth, their development. I've finally taken the decision to reverse the situation and move the two young'uns along, and this man has not objected to it.

Once upon a time, no matter how late work ended, or how one meeting blended into another, you never failed to text me on your cigarette breaks and we'd have our quickie catch up on how the day is going. You would rant and I would give the right responses, ending it with a "Chin-up ~ just x-days till gets here!" I have done all I can, and I will do no more while you go into your solitary mode for whatever reasons you may have.

Paulo Coelho once asked on his blog - how many times have we changed ourselves and what brought about that change. I do not have a clear cut answer except to say that it's probably got something to do with things ending and things begining. And perhaps these "once upon a time"s need not be left as they are; perhaps I could do something about them.

But really, I can't be asked to anymore. Nothing sums it up better than this line from PS I Love You:

Watch out for that signal,
when life as you know it ends.

Only these times - there is no post-script what-so-ever.