not just another day

Today at lunchtime, I received a call from an unfamiliar number with the prefix +447... I let it ring for a few seconds longer. Ah crap, who could this be?

It was Gary, my Scottish ex.

Such a pleasant surprise!. Last I saw him was about 3 months before I left London.

We ended ages ago. But somehow we managed to remain pretty good friends. My guess is that we probably connected on an intellectual level in addition to the short-lived romance.

Hearing his voice gave me a jolt; a reminder of my life back in London.

Until he told me he was just diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. Just yesterday.

It was the cause of his persistent headache for the past year.

Argh! I was so overwhelmed. In my heart, I literally screamed. It was unfair for a sweet decent gentleman like Gary to face this ordeal.

THIS ISN'T FAIR!

"I guess that's why I forgotten about your birthday until yesterday. I am sorry I am over 2 months late, Jamie. Please take care of yourself. I will talk to you another time!"

He hung up before I could respond. Maybe he remembered how incapacitated I get when I get bad news like this.

*****

I walked back to the office. With the busy traffic on the roads and the sun shining right down on me, today felt like any other day.

I strolled along the riverside. It was supposed to be just another day.

I just stopped and sat down by the pier.

My head fell to my hands.

And I wept.