You'll Get There

Katrina:

Jake left this morning to move in with the spin instructor. He took everything. I have no idea how I’ll make it through this. But I guess I’ll start by changing my tear-drenched, snot-encrusted pillowcase. Then headed back to bed. Please text back when you can.

Solomon:

I got your message for someone else. Clean pillowcase is a good place to start though.

Katrina:

OMG. I’m sorry! My best friend just got a new phone. I thought I had put the right number in my contacts, but apparently not.  I am mortified. Please just pretend you never saw that message. Sorry again!

Solomon:

Not sure I can do that. Snot-encrusted is pretty vivid. 

Katrina:

I’ve never really gotten the hang of texting. My words are always too formal.  I’m sorry to have bothered you. Going to try to text my friend who was meant to be the original recipient.

Solomon:

What will that person say?

Katrina:

About what?

Solomon:

Jake.

Katrina:

Jake?

Solomon:

Jake.

Katrina:

She’ll probably say he’ll regret leaving me.  He’ll come crawling back one day once this falls through with Sarah Spins-A-Lot.  

Solomon:

Did you just make that up?  That name?

Katrina:

That’s how he had her name entered in his phone. Cute, huh?

Solomon:

I sense sarcasm. Your friend might be wrong you know.

Katrina:

I’m not sure how to respond to that. 

Solomon:

He might regret leaving eventually. He might not. 

Katrina:

I think I can do without this analysis this morning. Thanks. Have a nice day.

Solomon:

Same is true for you. Might wallow for a long time. Might meet a person who makes Jake seem like a joke. Jake might regret leaving you tomorrow or in 10 years. Sarah Spins-A-Lot might be everything he wants.

Katrina:

And you feel compelled to share this insight because?

Solomon:

Was in a situation where I wallowed for a long time. Might be able to help you pull yourself out of the muck faster.

Katrina:

You make us sound like pigs.  

Solomon:

I kinda felt like one for a while. Laid around til I smelled myself and rooted around in the fridge most of the day.

Katrina:

So you had someone walk out on you, too?  

Solomon:

You don’t really have to use commas you know. People read texts fast. They don’t pause for commas. Yes I did.

Katrina:

Was it a long relationship?

Solomon:

2 years. 

Katrina:

Do you mind if I ask what happened?

Solomon:

On one condition.

Katrina:

What is this one condition?

Solomon:

Shorten your sentences. Feels like I’m being interviewed by an old schoolmarm.

Katrina:

I will certainly try.

Solomon:

See what you just did there?  Just say I’ll try.

Katrina:

 I’ll try.  Better?

Solomon:

Brush up on these skills for when you dive back into the dating pool.

Katrina:

I always hated swimming.

Solomon:

Ha! Good! Some humor.

Katrina:

Your story?

Solomon:

She was in grad school. Fell in love with a prof. 

Katrina:

What’d you do when she left?

Solomon:

You already know about the wallowing.

Katrina:

But did you expect the leaving?

Solomon:

Yes. Still shocking though. Make sense?

Katrina:

Yes. Same here. 

Solomon:

Didn’t change my clothes for a week. Wasn’t joking about the smell.

Katrina:

I empathize. 

Solomon:

Said I wasn’t ambitious enough.

Katrina:

The prof was?

Solomon:

He published articles. Fancy dinners at the college. Admired by students. Clearly one in particular.

Katrina:

Did you smile when you typed that?

Solomon:

Yes.

Katrina:

Thought I read a smile.

Solomon:

You’ll get there. You’ll smile.

Katrina:

Ambition was the breaking point?  Really?

Solomon:

Tip of the iceberg. I’m ambitious. Just don’t care about being recognized.

Katrina:

So it was deeper than that.

Solomon:

It always is. What was your tip?

Katrina:

What?

Solomon:

Your tip. Yours and Jake’s.

Katrina:

Respect. His for me.

Solomon:

That might be a whole iceberg.

Katrina:

Maybe there was more than one iceberg.

Solomon:

It only takes one. Look at the Titanic. Iceberg got it. People still fascinated by it.

Katrina:

Trying to follow you here.

Solomon:

People get like that about failed relationships. Keep examining them when they’ve sank to the bottom .

Katrina:

But shouldn’t I at least try?

Solomon:

Try what?

Katrina:

To talk this out. 

Solomon:

I thought he left.

Katrina:

He did.

Solomon:

Well then.

Katrina:

So don’t go poking around, disturbing the remains?

Solomon:

Up to you. How fast you want to recover.

Katrina:

Fast.

Solomon:

What are you wearing?

Katrina:

What! Whoa! Didn’t expect that turn.

Solomon:

Just answer the question.

Katrina:

My sulking clothes.

Solomon:

Attractive. Go change. 

Katrina:

Why?

Solomon:

You’ll feel better. The shirt I wore for a week had syrup and spaghetti sauce dried on it. And brush your teeth. 

Katrina:

I want to just sit here.

Solomon:

Cutting your mourning time remember?

Katrina:

Okay. What else you got?

Solomon:

I see you got a little text game now! Where you headed today?

Katrina:

Back to bed.

Solomon:

Ha, ha. Find somewhere to go. Even a short walk. On Monday go back to work.

Katrina:

And then?  

Solomon:

Repeat every day.

Katrina:

I can’t think that far ahead. It hurts.

Solomon:

It will. Like after surgery.

Katrina:

So I have to get moving.

Solomon:

Doctor’s orders.

Katrina:

You ever see her out with the professor? 

Solomon:

Once.

Katrina:

How was it?

Solomon:

Awkward. Maybe more for him. I’m much more attractive.

Katrina:

Jokes! 

Solomon:

I’m serious.

Katrina:

Point taken. How did she act?

Solomon:

Happy.

Katrina:

And you?

Solomon:

Acted as normal as possible. Went home and cried.

Katrina:

So this isn’t as easy as you make it sound.

Solomon:

I didn’t say it was easy. Just giving you the steps.

Katrina:

The steps.

Solomon:

You can start on them now. I wallowed for a long time. Gave me ample amount of time to work out the steps. 

Katrina:

How long?

Solomon:

2 months.

Katrina:

How did you stay off work that long?

Solomon:

I teach school. Summertime.

Katrina:

That make it worse? 

Solomon:

Wallowing makes everything worse.

Katrina:

Except for coming up with the steps.

Solomon:

There is that.

Katrina:

Maybe you should take it on the road. Write a book. Help others besides those who accidentally text you.

Solomon:

Can’t. Way too busy these days.

Katrina:

Teaching going well?

Solomon:

Yep. Taking some online classes. Planning to become a principal one day. 

Katrina:

Would you be too busy to maybe meet sometime?  Lunch? Dinner?

Solomon:

Can’t. 

Katrina:

Oh?

Solomon:

I’m getting married. June 28th. Just a couple of weeks away.

Katrina:

Oh.

Solomon:

Oh?

Katrina:

You caught me off guard a little. 

Solomon:

Sorry about that. But I think you know I’m not the solution for you.  

Katrina:

I know.

Solomon:

Someone will be though.  I just wanted you to see.

Katrina:

See what?

Solomon:

I survived. Much more than that actually. You will too.