Au Revoir, Llew

Monday, September 1, 2008, London

And then it was over. Llew’s two week holiday in the UK came to an end today as he prepared to return home by the 6. 30 pm American Airlines flight to New York. It was hard for me to accept the finality of his return and we decided to spend the day in the most fruitful way as he helped me carry out the last of the chores I needed to do—namely, transporting my boxes of books from my office at New York University to my flat at Holburn.

But first, we had to purchase a few things at Marks and Spencer on Oxford Street and at Sainsburys—the kind of last-minute biscuits (Scottish shortbread) and chocolates (Cadbury’s Roses) that one usually carries back for one’s colleagues. And then we were at Bedford Square loading the boxes into a black cab and arriving at home where we deposited them.

Then, Llew busied himself packing and straightening his suitcase and soon it was time for us to grab a quick last lunch and then leave for Heathrow. It was hard to say goodbye but Llew rests in the knowledge that I have a beautiful flat in a very safe and secure building, in a neighborhood that is buzzing all day and is just a stone’s throw away from everything. And I rested in the knowledge that he will be back with me soon in October—just before I know it, he will fill this flat with his comforting presence once again.

After I left him at the security gates, I took the Tube from Heathrow and headed back home, then went directly to Sainsburys to do a big grocery shop for such staples as eggs and salt and pepper, olive oil and vinegars, cream and butter and roast chicken and bacon and Cumberland sausages and lemons and scallions and lettuce and tomatoes and mustard and Stilton Cheese and, for dessert, chocolate éclairs—all of the things one needs in a standard pantry.

I ate myself a very unhealthy solitary dinner (perhaps because I missed Llew’ presence) but I will be beginning a diet tomorrow that will eliminate all carbs for the next two weeks in my attempt to flush out all the unhealthy toxins I have been consuming over our two week holiday in Scotland. I shall start cooking tomorrow and I have little doubt that I shall soon return to routine and my weighing scale will soon return to sanity as well.

I already miss Llew’s loving presence in the flat and while he is airborne somewhere over the Atlantic, I whisper a prayer for his safe arrival home at Holly Berry House and a very meaningful reunion with him once again in a few weeks.