Love You, See You Soon

The last words they spoke to each other were Love you, see you soon. It was at the airport. He was leaving. He loved her, and he would see her soon. He would come back. He promised her this, and she didn’t doubt him. Love you, see you soon.

And then the aeroplane ripped their lives apart.

Other continents, other time zones, things settled into what they said was temporary reality. But this individual reality was not the reality either of them wanted. They didn’t want I; they wanted We. Us. But this fucking distance. This fucking distance.

In this digital age, they found something comforting about writing real words in real handwriting on real pages. There was connection and essence of the other. They have touched this page. This is their hand writing. They care enough to take the time.

Love you, see you soon.

Is there any doubt? No, there’s no doubt. Do you love me? Yes I love you. Do you love us? Yes I love us. It’s just. It’s fine. Love you, see you soon.

It should be easy. Why can’t we just be? Why can’t I just be with you? Why can’t you just be with me? Who put us in these such far away places? I don’t know, but it’s horrible. Yes, it just isn’t right. It’s really annoying. I hate it as much as you do. Love you, see you soon.

The obstacles make it more worthwhile. Have patience, It will all be okay. It will be fine. Just give it time. Okay, it just needs time… my father is dying. I need to be here for my father. And when he is gone, I need to be here for my mother.

Ah. I understand. Love you, see you soon.

And time does what it does, which is to speed slowly on. Why are hours so long yet years so short?

Love you, see you soon.

Love you, see you soon.

Love you, see you soon.

One day, one of them meets another. Time slows down for a while. This wasn’t what we agreed on. You’ve met someone? Yes, I’ve met someone. But. But you’re over there, I’m over here and we need to be practical about these things. I do love you, I will see you soon, but for now we have to be realistic about things.

Okay. Okay. Love you, see you soon.

And the other meets someone, and the present tugs at the lingering past. They both have someone, but only because of the details and the formalities and the complications of living half a world apart. Their kind of love is easy and they should be together and they want to be together. They tell each other this. Still they tell each other, Love you, see you soon.

There is a child. There is another child. There is happiness. They continue to be each other’s best friend. They talk. They confide. They are there for each other for the sadness and the happiness. I’m happy for you. Really, I am, I am happy for you. Love you, see you soon.

Yes, me too. Love you, see you soon.

Grandchildren? That is so beautiful. I’m so happy for you. Really, I wish I was there. I’d love to see them and you holding them. I would love that. I would like to hold your grandchildren. That would be amazing and so beautiful. Love you, see you soon.

At some point, they both realise that that golden promise had become a sentimental joke. But they keep it going because they really do love each other. We never managed to make it happen, did we. No. No we didn’t. But hey, how cool was it that we met at all? We could easily have never met. Love you, see you soon.

And at another point, the letters from over there stop. They just stop.

Hey, why don’t you write to me any more? Don’t you love me any more? Remember that time? Remember that thing? Remember those plans we made? Why don’t you write to me any more? Love you, see you soon.

And eventually, those letters stop too.

Words by Lee Bemrose.