Oldest Living Teenager in America

The Fat Lady Is Singing and It’s Still Not Over

Oops.  I have a blog.  I keep forgetting.

Since I am of advanced age, according to some well-intentioned government agencies, I guess I have earned the right to be forgetful.  Every few days, or sometimes months, I remember to do something about my blog.  Like write on it.

Actually, it’s more complicated.

I would write on it more if I could figure out how to get off Facebook.  It’s not that I find FB so appealing.  OK, I am addicted.  But let’s not quibble.   It’s just that when I message someone (new term for sending a message, but again, let’s not dissect everything we learned in school), I can’t seem to end it.

“Great ‘chatting.’  Be well!” I sleepily write in the little box at the bottom right of my screen.  I have been catching up with an old friend for a few minutes at the end of the night.

“U2.”

“Take care.  Love u.”  The proper send-off, I figure.

“Love u2.”

“Heading to bed.”  So he won’t think I’m giving him – such a nice guy – a brush-off.

“Night :)”

Oh.  A happy face?  Well, I sure can’t let that go unanswered.

“Goodnight,” I send back.  OK.  Done.

“Talk soon.”

Ugh.

“Sounds good,” I type, still having that loving feeling.  Finis!

“Always a pleasure.”

Sigh.

“Same here.”  Tag.  You’re it.

“Signing off now,” I get back.

I haven’t seen this much action since Tennis Club, 9th grade.

“And best wishes to your family,” he adds.

Really??  OK, then.  One more response needed.  To finish the conversation.

“Always good connecting.”  I tap the keyboard a little too hard.

“♥” comes back at me.

“Peace,” I reply, drawing a long, almost-peaceful deep breath.

“Peace 2u2.”

This is probably how wars begin, ha-ha-ha-and-holy-crap-how-do-I-end-this?

“Luv ya!” which is definitely, exactly, and absolutely all I need to end the chat.

“Luv u2 !”

Seriously?  The signing-off has been longer than the original chat.

As I am contemplating how to stop this thing, I hear my husband calling to me, for the 4^th time. “Kath – are you coming to bed?”

And then a miracle occurs.

Nothing.

There’s nothing.

There is no chat in front of me.

There is no green dot beside the friend’s name.

There is no warm or quirky come-back.

It’s done for the night.  Just like that.  FB friend has disconnected.

Man, some people have a lot of nerve just hanging up like that.