promises

This conversation happened twenty years ago.

Back in university, a roommate of mine (who had never suffered from low self-esteem) was going through a difficult break up. Difficult for the guy, that is. My roommate herself, was doing quite well.

roommate: I'm just worried he might do something extreme. He's in a really dark place right now.

me: You don't think he'd ...kill himself, do you?

My roommate then locked eyes with me, and said firmly, "Me, Thea. He lost ME. What would you do?"

So I reassured her that I would, in fact, kill myself if I ever lost her.