Closure

Lately, the words "the end" have been more than I can bear. "Closed" and "Good-bye" are on the list, too. For some reason I've yet to cog, I cannot easily accept closures.




I am now turning the last 50 pages of the Harry Potter saga, and each leaf turned leaves an emptiness in the pit of my stomach.


Just last Friday, I took my boys to the auction of the Prairie Rose enterprise. For those who are unfamiliar, there once was a chuckwagon supper club, complete with true cowboy/wild west sing-alongs, etc...set in the countryside, featuring the Prairie Rose Wranglers (akin to Riders in the Sky). Unfortunately the PR was yet another casualty of the over-extension of one Mr. Thomas Etheridge, who put all his money, faith, credit, etc... into what was (for a month or two) Wild West World. Now, we bought the season pass to WWW, and we talked others into it, thinking it would be good to show our support for the state's premiere and one of the nation's only western themed theme parks. Alas, it went belly up.



Attending the auction only reminded me of one of my deepest scars--my own family farm auction, circa 1981. That event was more sorrowful for me than most funerals I've attended.



The closures don't end! The Palace on the east side of Wichita, the one which played small release, debut, independent films--closed this summer. Cowley College's Southside Center is to close next semester. Half of the food court at the Hutchinson Mall is vacant. I don't know why these things stick with me, but they do, like a burr in my saddle, and they chafe.

I am already anticipating that hollow feel of the end of a semester, and it's only week 2.