Dear Anne

Dear Anne,

I hope you are doing okay.

I certainly hope, since I haven't heard from you in a very long time, and you won't return any of my calls, nor the letters I've sent, and, judging by the nature of these events, you seem to be a little inattentive towards me.

Unfortunately, since your departure things are not getting better, but worse. The weather hasn't improved much, it's getting a bit gloomier each day, and the city has become dull. No one says hello in the streets anymore.
Do you recall Fred, our neighbor? He rarely comes out now. He would take his dog out every sunday morning, at least, and then he would call us and we would go with him and we would all three enjoy a cup of coffee at Gotham Café. Do you remember that, Anne?

Paul and Bianca have split apart. They were the strangest couple, were they not? - But somehow they would always manage to put their disagreements apart, even with those three kids behind their backs, which I haven't seen or heard of, ever since Bianca took them.
I do see Paul sometimes. He has aged so much, you wouldn't imagine. Do you remember his stunning blue eyes? Yeah, well now they're hiding behind his eyelids, which have fallen, and he has dropped a lot of weight, and his skin is rather pale. He is so sick, Anne. He misses his kids, I'd say.

Martha, the old lady across the street, has passed away. She was such a lovely lady, wasn't she? She would always bring us oh so sugary food. Sweet, like her. And she would wear tons of make up, and always sport really bright colors, but she was so nice and wise and great to talk to, wasn't she, Anne? I miss her sometimes, but I miss you the most.

Anyhow, I went to the harbor earlier this morning, (that was when I decided I needed to write to you once more), and it was so cold outside, and I don't wanna stay in, I don't want to become one of them, Anne. You know me, you know what I used to say all the time, I will never choose the obvious choice, for I'm smarter, and you would smile with that witty smile of yours (which I miss), and you would agree with me all the time.

Well, I was watching the vessels making noises from afar, and a couple of seagulls delivering food to the litter of tiny, yet-to-grow seagulls in the nest. And I saw the sky, and it was cloudy, I could tell it would be raining soon. I used to like rain. You liked rain too, didn't you? - But now it's different, Anne.

And I grabbed my bike,
yes,
the one you would loathe
for the rusty sound it made (and still does)

Yes, I hope you're fine, Anne.
Wherever you may be.

You know I'm usually not blunt, although the situation asks me to be.
Please,
come back, Anne.

It's autumn every day, since you left. I'm growing aloof, and I don't want to, but everyone's growing apart from each other. Who am I supposed to talk to, Anne?

I'm sick of eating breakfast alone,
sick of torn up envelopes in the living room,
sick of doing laundry,
sick of drinking bad wine alone,
sick of this place,
sick of golden, sealed-up crowns, which I still save, for you.


Make things easier. Would you, Anne?
I long for the day you come back.
I can wait.




Until then.

- John