A while ago we went for a stroll, we always walk together. It was a pleasant day so we decided to go into town and see what was happening. Since being stuck in quarantine it is something we haven't done often, many days have passed where we have seldom come into contact with each other so to feel the gravel of the dusty road shifting under us was something special.
Life seems to be coming back to normal, people are out and about and although there are still some restrictions in place there is a obvious buzz of enthusiasm in the air as folk ready themselves to return to business.
On arrival in the village we stopped by one of our favorite places, the dive centre. Still not operational but in a few days diving will resume how nice that will be. We sat out in the sun while our friend chatted at the bar, with lots to catch up on conversation flowed and before long day turned into evening.
As time passed we began to realized something was wrong, it had fallen quiet and as the sun went down the darkness of night along with panic set in, "where is he"? We didn't notice him leave maybe he will be back in a minute, minutes turned to hours and no sign of our friend, it was getting very dark now and we couldn't get home alone.
We waited and waited but still nothing more than a eerie silence occasionally broken by the sound of the water lapping against the shore. "Oh no I think we have been forgotten", not knowing what to do we just sat there on the floor taking in the view.
Eventually it became clear we were going to have to stay the night, the security guard arrived and seemed to not have a problem with us being there so it looked like a long lonely night was ahead of us, it wasn't the most pleasant night sat there frightened with cockroaches running around us, then just as we thought it couldn't get worse the heavens opened and we got soaked by the pounding rain.
Respite came with the dawn, the sun awoke over the hills bathing us in golden sunshine and drying ourselves out in its rays we felt much better. Then we heard the gate to the dive shop open, it was the staff arriving and maybe we hoped our friend but alas he was nowhere to be seen. Everyone went about their daily chores and seemed to be paying us no attention, "come on someone must see we are here" it was like we were invisible.
Time and again different people came in and out of the centre and lifted our hopes but to no avail, had our friend totally forgotten we exist? Wrinkled and dirty we just sat there trying not to get under peoples feet as they worked. The day was long and hot we were in a state of uncertainty would we really be stuck here another day?
Daylight started to fail and it looked like the inevitable was going to happen, had we just been shaken off and discarded to be replaced by something better? The thought was awful had we done something to offend? We had always been reliable and never faltered in our service so why has this happened?
Night falls on a second night in a strange place, this is repeated day after day and now after ten days it has started to sink in that we have been abandoned, tossed aside to never be reunited with our friend, why would he do this? It may sound silly or a bit needy but we still would like to be reunited with him as we have shared great moments together. If anybody knows where to find him please let him know there are no hard feelings and it would be amazing to get back together.
