My Cardboard Balcony

by Belinda Roddie "I wish he'd told me that before." "What, that he was leaving?" "No, that he didn't want me to come with him." Sydney nodded and pursed her lips as the waiter finally brought her dejected friend her pancakes. Not even the chocolate chips embedded within the batter seemed to make Dora smile. She just doused the stuff in hot maple syrup and let it all grow coagulated and cold. "Did he give you a reason?" Sydney dared to ask. "He just didn't think he was comfortable with me dropping everything to be with him," sighed Dora before throwing up her hands. "But isn't that what true love is about? Sacrificing your everyday life to be with the person you want to be with for the rest of your days?" "That's how I'd describe it." Dora fiddled with her fork. She still did not touch her food. Sydney was halfway through her omelet but didn't feel hungry anymore. "T

You had lost all credibility even before you stepped onto that stage. Your incessant rants to journalists, leaning toward the objectively incoherent. The way your breath reeked of Chablis while on the Piers Morgan Show. Your complete denial of the many factors of life and its benefits that you used to held dear. Before you retreated. Before you tore yourself away from his embrace, saying your love wasn't pure. You closeted bastard.