One year later I took Fred to the airport, he was returning to Evergreen, Oregon to the resource of the helicopters he had brought to Africa. I dropped him off at Oakland and on the way home I developed a plan.
I called a girlfriend Fred didn’t know and asked if I could stay with her until I figured out what my next step would be. She welcomed me warmly, having known the story of Fred’s African escapades.
I packed my clothes, shoes, records, sewing machine and pictures. Everything else I left behind. I decided since I was finished with the relationship, none of the possessions needed to be a part of my life any longer.
I switched company cars with another employee so Fred wouldn’t know when I was in the office and the two of us never went to the office at the same time. I didn’t tell anyone where I was living, not even my boss.
I knew if I saw Fred I would reconsider and go back with him. I still loved him; I just couldn’t live with him. He wasn’t a bad guy, just not someone who was comfortable for me to be in partnership any longer.
He questioned everyone we knew, but since they had no idea I had even left, they weren’t able to tell him the information he sought.
Then it was time to file our taxes and I couldn’t avoid seeing him any longer.