She's Go-o-o-o-o-o-o-ne....

Ever have the feeling of security about your friends? The feeling that they're right there when you need them? Sort of like seeing someone available on IM--you might not want to talk to them at the moment, but it's nice to know they're there? And available to you with the click of a mouse?

I didn't see this one coming. Maybe I played it the wrong way. Maybe I should have protested a little harder. Maybe I should have begged. It happened in the short span of a couple of weeks. One minute she's here, the next, she's gone. She's snuck off before--I'm used to that. But this time, it seems, it's for good. Change-of-address cards. Two weeks notice at work. Fully loaded car with a full tank of gas. The Works. She's gone...

And it's not just me that's feeling the effects. My family loves her more than they love me. She's the one that knows the "me" that you guys know. Not the "me" that they've known all these years. She's the one to embarrass me in front of them, knowing that she's omnipotent in this arena. Her boss, her family, her friends--they too, will be feeling this emptiness as well.

I'm not sure who made the first move between us. I remember that just over three years ago she asked if I lived in Helena, and that she did too! My first memory of her was a post about someone stealing her blue bra and panties from the clothesline. I knew I was hooked. We first laid eyes on each other at the opera. Our first date involved the drinking of alot of beer. Sort of set the tone for our relationship.

So who am I referring to? Rachel, of course! She took a job in Kalispell, which is about 200 miles NW of me. We'll probably be in touch more now than we have been recently! Add to the mix that Moose will be interviewing for a position up there next month, and I'll probably be spending more time up there than I have when I actually lived near the area! On a serious-ish note--I will miss having her around. Not that we were attached at the hip, but there was that security of having her right here. Truthfully, things won't really be much different than before. She's got reasons to come back down here on a somewhat regular basis, so I'll end up seeing her as much as I usually do. Cell phone and IM will take care of the regular chit-chat, much the way it has all this time. The only thing missing will be that sense of security of having her just down the street.

So she's gone, but it's not goodbye. Not even a tear shed. She's got a dream job in a dream location. She's starting new dreams in the part of the state that she loves. She'll be back in 3 weeks. How can I wish her anything but the best?