Some of you may know that I used to "keep company" with a certain someone when I lived in Akita.  We were together for upwards of two years, although we never really became very serious.

One of the main reasons we never became serious was that he was an incurable workaholic.  He would aver loudly that he was going to retire when he was 40 (and split his time between California and Hawaii), and hire another pharmacist to run his stores for him. 

He figured it would take at least two years to properly train someone.  As his 39th birthday approached and there was still no apprentice on the horizon, I knew he would never leave his beloved businesses!  And I did not want to be serious about a man who would keep me stuck in Akita indefinitely (I love the place, but my career options would be limited to 'ESL teacher' or 'housewife' - and neither of these particularly interest me).

When I left the country, I left him a note.  Oh, the Kharmic punishment I have suffered since!!!!!!!!!!!  (You all know who you are!)

But BOY, was I wrong about him!!!  On my trip to Akita last week, my best friend there informed me that not long after I left, my boyfriend's shop in Honjo closed down (I'm not sure about the other two shops because they are (were?) in different towns), and he mysteriously disappeared off the face of the earth without a word to anyone. 

At roughly the same time, a friend of ours (in fact, the one who introduced us) who owned a local pub also disappeared.  The talk around town is that they took off to Hawaii, since their drunken bravado-speech was usually to that effect. 

So, it turns out that if I'd stayed with him, I'd be living in Hawaii now (and maybe California, too).  Instead, I left, and here I am living in Japan. 

Does it GET any WEIRDER than this??!!