Friday, February 1, 2019
A group from my work and I were given a team building holiday: we had to live under the same roof of a cabin, which was beside a private community centre. We all had chores and presentations to do, and we had to bring food and snacks to make and share.
Honeycrisp finished his tasks early; he waited until I was done. We went for a walk outside through a field and a small woodland area. It was autumn and the trees were orange and yellow. The grass was straw-like and yellow. The sun was setting, so the sky was richly golden, followed by orange and red. I can't recall our conversations, but I was able to make him laugh.
We came back when it was dark. We sat on the brown carpet of the family room, listening to someone give their presentation. I sat close to him.
The next morning, we sat on white, plastic chairs, in rows, in a solarium. Glass enclosed us, and a wooden trellis above grew vines of something young and green. The sun warmed the concrete beneath our feet. GoldenDel stood before us, scissors in hand, giving a presentation, which I think has something to do with cutting hair. While she spoke, Honeycrisp stood beside her, and two chairs were in front of them.
I sat in the front row when GoldenDel called me and someone else as volunteers. We sat on the chairs before them. GoldenDel began snipping away on the person's hair in front of her. I heard two snips behind me before I heard, "I can't do this," in a soft, defeated voice.
I turned to Honeycrisp, who was flushed. He looked extremely sad. "May we be excused?" I asked GoldenDel. She looked at both of us and nodded.
I took his hand and we walked into the next room -- the main hallway -- and sat on a bench in a corner beside a potted majesty palm. I hugged him as he told me he couldn't do this -- our friendship -- anymore. I didn't understand. I hugged tighter, but he wouldn't hug me back.
