Originally written August 24, 2006The last piece has fallen into place, and since I am one week from departure we can justifiably say that it comes not a moment too soon. The housing situation has been confirmed. Several months ago I believed that the dorms were allocated to students based on distance from home. Since home is eleven time zones away, I figured I would have a moderate success in getting into the post graduate halls. That apparently did not happen, and the week before the Bar exam back in July I was told there is no housing at the Chinese University of Hong Kong for the big bad Jay. So I emailed the head of the law school and told him I would be one hell of an asset to the law school but I cannot venture east without some form of shelter from the ninjas roaming the streets at night.
Things have a habit of falling into place for me. The law school provided with a package deal at the Young Women's Christian Association guest house. Otherwise known as a YWCA. A 20-story YWCA, but a women’s guest house nonetheless. The harder I work the luckier I god damned get. At this point in the affair, I don't think anyone should be surprised that’s how it worked out.
With the housing confirmed, student visa obtained registration materials ready, schedule of courses laid out and a detailed map of the Hong Kong subway system to get from the airport to the hostel to the school...its game time kids. From what I now know, I am the only American; I am the only person from the western hemisphere. I am the only one from a non-asian country. It’s me against the world with no backup. There was a list of a dozen things that needed to have happened despite the distance, time changes and language barriers. And although we were cutting it fairly close here, everything worked out in the end.
Been spending a lot of time lately thinking about the end. The end of a lot of storylines, leaving people behind, letting those moments go. I had outgrown Lawrence Kansas early last year, no matter what would have happened I had to move on from that town, but it was tough to let go of the extraordinary life we managed. Upon arriving in Chicago, I felt there was so much that needed to be done, so much that I had missed out on. And while it’s true I missed out on a lifetime for some people here, I could never go back to those moments. Everything changes, including me, and at least for right now Chicago is in transition for all of us. I may be back in a year from now; I may never have that penthouse life in this city. But like Kansas, this was a place that served its purpose for the time I was here, and now I have to go somewhere else.
I made a will yesterday. I know I take things a bit too seriously at time (college politics be damned) but for reasons of making sure some people don't get a hold of some things, I had to make sure my intentions were clear. There I was writing out who gets what like it would matter me, like it would matter to them. I left requests in the will to be carried about my certain people. If something happens, I won't know one way or another, but this is not optional. And believe me if I can find a way I will be back to haunt each and every one of you.
Of coarse there will be many things left unsaid. I am going to try to find as many of you as I can before I leave, I just cannot imagine a year without the people that have supported so much whether they knew it or not. But everything that has happened has led to this point, and with everything that has fallen into place so perfectly, I know this is what needs to be done. I'm not doing this just for myself, but to make sure that there's a hell of a life waiting for each one of us. Trust me, I know what I'm doing, I'll get us there. I pulled you through the wasteland of last summer; I talked you back to the real world. Now its time I brought you back to that void, escape in the idea that the big bad is heading to Hong Kong to take project mayhem global. I believe that I can do no wrong, that things will always fall into place for me no matter what. No fear, no distractions, the ability to let everything truly slide.
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