Separation

Tomorrow my roommate’s Vietnamese boyfriend is leaving for home. It’s apparent that the thought of the impending separation is weighing heavy on them both.

My roommate is usually all happy and chatty in the mornings. Today the silence in our room was a bit oppressing. I was thankful when she finally decided to flip on the television. The lively banter going on between the hosts of the early morning show being aired was very welcome noise. Her boyfriend isn’t in any better shape. In the space of a week he’s grown thinner and his face more tired and haggardly.

It really pained me to see them trying their best to be cheerful this morning. The weather and the radio in our service van to work weren’t very cooperative, though. Of all days, the sky chose today to be gray and gloomy, and the blasted radio kept spewing sad, emotional love songs.

Tomorrow will be worse, the actual day of his departure. I don’t know if I’ll be able to comfort her… I’m no good in these types of situations. Especially since I can’t imagine what kind of hell she’ll be going through. I just hope being there for her will be enough.