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Contrasting Good-Byes
Jun. 2nd, 2016 09:23 amWhen Darwin's family is visiting--or when we're visiting Darwin's family--good-bye lasts forever. The announcement, "Well, we need to get going. Thanks for having us over," is a signal on all sides to start a brand new conversation that will last at least fifteen more minutes. Once I finally manage to drag Drawin out the door, at least one person will follow us out to the car to continue talking, adding another ten minutes or so. All in all, it takes about half an hour to say good-bye.
It drives me crazy. My own family does a rather shorter good-bye of hugs all around and perhaps an escort to the car, or perhaps not. There's usually at least one reminder: "Do you have everything?" or "Don't forget next week we're ________." And we're off.
I pionted this out to Darwin, who laughed. "It's totally true," he said. "My family always does a long good-bye. My mother did that, and now we all do it. I think no one really wants to actually say good-bye."
And then there's Aran.
"I'm leaving now," he says. "Good-bye."
And if you don't catch him quickly for a hug, the door shuts and he's gone.
It drives me crazy. My own family does a rather shorter good-bye of hugs all around and perhaps an escort to the car, or perhaps not. There's usually at least one reminder: "Do you have everything?" or "Don't forget next week we're ________." And we're off.
I pionted this out to Darwin, who laughed. "It's totally true," he said. "My family always does a long good-bye. My mother did that, and now we all do it. I think no one really wants to actually say good-bye."
And then there's Aran.
"I'm leaving now," he says. "Good-bye."
And if you don't catch him quickly for a hug, the door shuts and he's gone.
