The goodbyes

When the choice is made, there are a lot of goodbyes.

An announced exit from the WhatsApp group, where things are only hunky dory and gossipy, but when sombre people get iky or when woke, there are no opinions.

It’s like ghosting a long-time “friend” when you need to find an appointment to connect with her when your heart is wrenching and you just need a person to listen.

After long contemplation and decision to disconnect when there was no one to cry to when in grief, maybe everyone around thinks she is strong and she doesn’t need it.

An announced withdrawal when the person’s way to connect is by triggering conversations that pertain to his convenience.

There is a sudden cutoff when, after the patient hears and understands when the borrowed money is asked for, the conversation gets diverted to how he feels used.

A distance when there is a lingering hand when greeting hugs are exchanged.

Goodbyes seem liberating, but only after a short or sometimes long trip of guilt and self-doubt if “it is me or it is them”. But ultimately, when the hurt is more significant, you decide “Whatever” — and get on a ride just ghosting /disconnecting/hibernating/isolating.