i ache. and there's still more to pack and unpack. i want brothers and boyfriends and fathers and uncles. i suppose cambridge is rather further than manchester for choonping to come and help me move. also, if he did i would never hear the end about being his fag hag. i mean, we're still teasing su-lin about manchester to this day.

still, this is the first year that i haven't felt completely abandonned and unloved. moving at uva was typically a solo effort, heaving and staggering while thinking poisonous thoughts at other people's entourages of fathers and brothers. this year i moved with rikita, casey (who lives on our floor) and his boyfriend yan, and a couple who were friends of theirs. some of the boys on our floor helped me bring my boxes downstairs. and i was especially touched by casey and yan, who went to central square to get the u-haul, did all the driving, and helped all four households move into their apartments, before dashing off to logan to catch their flight out. casey, who was very sweet, kept apologising for his driving and parking skills, although i don't know what he has got to apologise for: he and yan were undoubtedly the heroes of the day. that's what boyfriends are for, yan says to casey. lots of hugging and thanks all around, and farewells for the summer. i do miss perkins already.