Mates

I had a friend of mine around for a final visit last week.

Her name is Krissy and we’ve been buddies since I moved into a flat (apartment) in Mile End Road in London with her and two other New Zealand girls. I first I thought they asked me to be the new addition to the household because of my charm, wit and good looks – only later did I find out the more sanguine version that what they really wanted was someone who could hold off any crazed madman at the door for a few precious minutes so the girls could make their getaway out the back door! Ah well, ha, ha.

We’ve stayed close for over seven years as I moved to another flat and she did too when the lease ran out (my budget having a little extra padding in it than hers – we chose different housing options).

Our friendship has survived through many moves, girlfriends, a trip back to Australia before unexpectedly heading out to Iraq and now Geneva. We had numerous vacations all over Europe and a few times to the States together and plenty of fun nights hitting London pubs and theatres.

When I moved to France/Geneva, we stayed in touch and as London is only an hour’s flight away on a cheap charter airline, we could still hook up a few times a year.

Krissy is headed back to the land of the long white cloud and her family in Christchurch New Zealand at the end of September so that’s a long, long way away and I feel I’m losing a part of me.

I couldn’t say at the airport how much I’ve appreciated her companionship over the years or how much I’ll miss me best mate - it must be the Australian upbringing coming out in me where we give a highly understated 'Yair yer 'orright' to someone we'd gladly give our right arm for - but I will miss her - big time. But I remind myself this isn’t goodbye – just au revoir as they say here.

Bon voyage Krissy, I’ll be in touch…