text: She was leaving. I politely asked her to hide her bags and belongings. I didn’t want a reminder. I figured I’d let it all hit me when I woke up after she drove away. The problem was the bags, hat boxes, and suitcases and such that filled the back laundry room where I suggested she hide them. I suggested this as it also meant I wouldn’t have to do laundry until she left. So, I was adding relearning how to do laundry to the ugliness of that first day alone. She sat me down and made me understand that her belongings were now hitting the ceiling. “I want to pack my change jar - it won’t fit.” I understood. “You’ll have to throw some stuff out.” But she wouldn’t listen. She continued to fill the room. She found nooks and crannies to hide herself and even managed to pack the washer and dryer with her belongings. “I’m finished.” She said one June morning. I went into the back room and pried the door open and just looked at her, all of her, all packed into the laundry room. She left the next day. On the ground were little bits of debris she couldn't pack. A hair clip, a bottle of suntan lotion, books... She moved to another office in another country. I began inter-office mailing her little pieces of herself that she left behind: change, paperclips, photos, lip balm... An email went out to the office explaining that all non-paper products could not continue to arrive overseas as Customs was cracking down. I gave up sending her all back. I left the laundry room alone for a month. But eventually... I opened the door to the laundry room and began doing laundry. I’ve been doing laundry for 13 years.