A few years ago, I found a friend in a chat-room online.
We became friends out of what would come across as coincidence. But it was not merely that. That I was (and am) gay and that he is, was no coincidence. 'Dad, I am homosex' was the line which he'd used to begin the conversation. Or so I had thought. And apparently, it was a code-word among a group of Queer people online. It was a time I was still deep inside the closet, and that I did have someone to whom to speak with no inhibitions was my matter of solace. Then, he simply vanished. And the only thing about the friendship I had was a voice clipping he'd sent me when I'd asked to listen to a Norwegian speak in English (yes, this was a few years ago; no, the clipping was not in English). Then, like an idiot, I lost the clipping recently (probably while ridding my laptop of space-eating crap).
Now, I have not much tangible stuff to remember him by, but by this post, his name and his now-nonexistent email ID.
Now, I have not much tangible stuff to remember him by, but by this post, his name and his now-nonexistent email ID.
In Wide Sargasso Sea, Jean Rhys describes the Creole way of bidding one farewell. She says they wish the person(s) 'à dieu' quite unlike the English corruption 'adieu' or 'in the hands of god'.
Ceteris paribus, à dieu, my friend.
