goodbye goodbye good night

so tears. total tears. my last best girlfriend is leaving. me. behind. moving to chicago so on saturday there was a farewell barbecue and marshmallow melting campfire party.

dry cold air. rubbing elbows with each other in the tight circle. fitting small marshmallows on disproportionally large tree branches above the camp fire. loud ringing voices, loud arguments, silent sighs. laughing loud stomach cramps. bare knees, flip flops and sweaters. lomas night traffic hushing us. ketchup on hamburger buns. sleepy cold breezes, smokey hair. long long fire flame stares.
the air was so cold and still. it wrapped around our arms and legs and never left us. our fronts were burning from sitting so close to the fire.
simon waited all night for someone -ANYONE- to give him the opportunity to say 'why don't you ASH them?!' about dumping the ashes in the neighbors yard. drool.
very truly the best backyard bbq and campfire. i even left the charcoal-y smell on my clothes when i passed out in bed later. both hot and cold, fancy and dirty. casual but formal goodbyes. very albuquerque!

we sat outside and warmed our arms above the fire pit until we couldn't stand it anymore then moved inside where we watched old simpsons episodes on dvd. everyone drifted in and out of sleep, occasionally commenting on old pop culture references. shivering on a peculiarly cold night in april. finishing up our margaritas, we all eventually left and went to bed.

last saturday living in abq together. at least for right now.