Sad day

Leo left today for Florida. We had two months of warning but it still had us all upset. Sunday we did a big furniture swap- he wasn't taking any so he bestowed it on the group. We moved his couch and chair, his entertainment center, his dresser, nightstand, and kitchen table to new homes and shuffled whatever it displaced. On Monday, we had a goodbye party and sat outside eating snacks and chatting. We took lots of pictures. Today I happened to be off so I was able to hang out with him until he left. I helped him put the last things that would fit in his truck and promised to find homes for the things that didn't. We took lots of breaks because he was already tired and it was nice to sit with him a few more times. A couple neighbors dropped by to say goodbye and said to make sure he texts the core group nightly because otherwise we'd probably send out a search party. We've all cried and everyone had their individual goodbyes. I got to see him off and we both cried then. Megan came home later and we went into his apartment to assess the task list, but ended up just diving in. We cleaned and sorted and heard from Leo before we got too worried. He made it to his first destination, so we shared the news and then sat in sad exhaustion for a while. I was hoping that we were somehow taking on his exhaustion so he'll have the energy needed for this trip.

It's more than just a dear friend moving away, though we hope to visit. It feels like the end of an era, like the fellowship is breaking. It is, I'm sure, because nothing this good lasts. This has been an amazing group of neighbors. Weirdly enough, COVID created our bond and delivered Leo to us. We all needed some local family and we found it on the breezeway. We got each other through a pandemic and have been there for each other through plenty of other crises and celebrations. The night one of our dogs got attacked, this building came alive with protectors. We're protective of our people, but mess with our animals and we come unglued. It's amazing to know that support is right next door and across the hall and downstairs. 

Circumstances dictated a new chapter for him, as it will for all of us. Rent is outrageous and that's even with shared laundry. There's no budging on that front so I guess we'll all have to rethink our plans at some point. I think this change will be better for him, though it'll take time to see it that way. I hope that's the same for all of us.

Leo's absence was felt immediately by all of us and I've been informed that we're not going to like the person(s) that move in. I remain optimistic because I can't help it, and I like to believe that community can change and still exist. But we miss you already, Leo, and I hope you know how much we love you. We wouldn't clean just anyone's apartment.