The “Farwell AmericaTour”

    Less than two weeks after I got back to Colorado, the “Melman” called and told me he was going to be passing through town on his “Farewell America Tour.” Once again, he would not be content with being in one place. So he sold most of his worldly belongings, packed up his car and drove across the country visiting all of his close friends before embarking on a jaunt with the Peace Corp. to the Ukraine for two years.

  His plan was to stop by and hang with us for about a week before Continuing West to visit other friends. It was really good getting to spend quality time with him. He had an incessant need to go for walks after every meal which grew tiresome and his distaste to anything popular was a little tiresome as well. You know, sometimes chain store and restaurants are popular because what and how they sell is good quality. I understand – You love coffee but hate Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts, blah blah blah.

    It turned out that he valued walking, because after his horrific accident (Ed. Note: See 2/24/12 Entry) the doctors told him he would never walk again. He also hated Walmart because of that accident. The Woman who hit them, worked there and when they tried to get her contact information through the company, Walmart would not divulge the personal info. It wasn’t what I expected his reason for disliking the retail giant would have been, despite the fact that legally I doubt they can release that sort of info, but that is what makes Melman, Melman.

  While he was in town, we caught baseball games, socialized, went on multiple hikes up in the Rocky Mountains (even during an electrical storm)played stickball and had a grand old time.

Justin (Chris’ roommate), Lori, The Melman and Myself at Coors Field

  One thing the Melman pointed out to me was interesting. Around this time, Lori, whom was now in a long term relationship with Chris, had it in her head to buy property. She was looking at condos and wanted me to go with her to see places. Her idea was she would buy, and I would move with her and rent out a room. Personally, I didn’t care. I hated the idea of moving in general, but reluctantly went with her to see places. Now, what Melman pointed out to me was the dynamics in the relationship between the two of us. He explained that in any relationship that would appear equal, i.e. Lori and I as roommates, possibly because I was living in the apartment for a year before she moved in, I showed a more dominant power in the living situation, but if I moved into her place and paid rent to her, she would call the shots and the dynamics in our relationship would change. While my biggest concern had been the idea of moving in with her to her new place while in my mind, Chris should be the one moving in with her. Now I was wondering if moving to a new place with her would hurt the friendship. It was something to ponder, and after Melman said it, I was more attuned to that dynamic. Within a week, I told Lori I would not be moving if she found a place.