Washington DC is a place of many memories. Not only for the many people that visit but also in our nations history. And I definitely made some memories when I visited Megan during October. I had a very long trek ahead of me, from NAU to Phoenix, from Phoenix to Baltimore, and then onward. The drive was long, and the flight was even longer, but I would be seeing my love that day so my happiness was at an all time high.
I arrived at BWI around 11PM, and I was feeling gross and exhausted from all the travel. But when I saw Megan out the window of her brother’s car my heart was filled with joy and happiness because I knew I had made it. We kissed and cried for a bit but then left for her brothers house to spend the night before we left for DC the next day. I remember staying up all night talking and laughing with Megan, but I could tell something was different. She was sad and it was not easy for me to hear her cry about missing home, her family, me, and Arizona.
The next day, Megan, Molly, Matt and I went out for brunch before Megan and I got on a train to DC. The brunch was definitely interesting. As Megan contemplated about going home and changing her major, there was a different direction that would soon come out. Matt and Megan started to argue about school, home, and many other things while the “non- Molloy’s” sat and tried to calm our partners down. Needless to say that there was much bickering during the brunch and all I remember was that there was a side of Megan I had not seen before. A side of desperation and fear.
After the calm of brunch, came the storm of the travel to DC. Sitting in the train station was one of the hardest things I think I have ever done (besides the hotel to come). As Megan was begging me to not go to DC and to just stay was so confusing to me. For the first time in our relationship I felt there was nothing I could say or do to help her. The train ride was full of me saying that everything will be ok, and lots of crying from both of us. As we arrived in DC, I saw the capital from the train station, and that was about the extent of historical sights that I would see for the rest of the trip. Which I was fine with because I came to see Megan, because lets be honest DC never really changes.
So I checked into the hotel and we didn’t leave until my plane back on Sunday. The hotel was bad. There is no other word to describe the horror of that hotel. Again we stayed up all night and there were ups, downs, laughs, cries and more room service than I had ever had in any other hotel. It was the hardest thing to hold Megan and just cry and know that I would have to leave in about 24 hours. We talked about how depressed she was and how much we just missed each other. It was by far the worst night of my life. The next morning, Megan started to freak out! It was like nothing I had ever seen. It was the first time I had experienced a panic attack. Needless to say it was not a fun morning whatsoever. This was the first time Megan came out and said that she was depressed.
After Megan had clamed down, we checked out of the hotel and took the subway back to CUA. It was just a few hours before I had to take a taxi back to BWI to go home. CUA was beautiful, the Basilica was beautiful, I met Brandee, Megan’s awesome roommate, and the grounds of an East campus school was much different than the hippy NAU. However, Megan was not happy which made me feel, once again, hopeless.
Megan and I were both exhausted. Three days, no sleep and crying almost non-stop was not the best mixture for a happy weekend. The taxi arrived. It was time for me to go. We looked at each other, kissed, and I got in the car. I did not look back and I called my mom and broke down for the hour ride to the airport. I got on the plane at 8PM arrived in AZ at 12AM (time change) and drove back for my 8AM midterm the next day, not my best work. But it was worth it.
DC was filled with memories, most of them bad, but it was still a weekend with my love. And that weekend will never leave my memory. It was our first real test in our relationship and I am proud to say that we both passed.
-Eric Pfaffenberger
I arrived at BWI around 11PM, and I was feeling gross and exhausted from all the travel. But when I saw Megan out the window of her brother’s car my heart was filled with joy and happiness because I knew I had made it. We kissed and cried for a bit but then left for her brothers house to spend the night before we left for DC the next day. I remember staying up all night talking and laughing with Megan, but I could tell something was different. She was sad and it was not easy for me to hear her cry about missing home, her family, me, and Arizona.
The next day, Megan, Molly, Matt and I went out for brunch before Megan and I got on a train to DC. The brunch was definitely interesting. As Megan contemplated about going home and changing her major, there was a different direction that would soon come out. Matt and Megan started to argue about school, home, and many other things while the “non- Molloy’s” sat and tried to calm our partners down. Needless to say that there was much bickering during the brunch and all I remember was that there was a side of Megan I had not seen before. A side of desperation and fear.
After the calm of brunch, came the storm of the travel to DC. Sitting in the train station was one of the hardest things I think I have ever done (besides the hotel to come). As Megan was begging me to not go to DC and to just stay was so confusing to me. For the first time in our relationship I felt there was nothing I could say or do to help her. The train ride was full of me saying that everything will be ok, and lots of crying from both of us. As we arrived in DC, I saw the capital from the train station, and that was about the extent of historical sights that I would see for the rest of the trip. Which I was fine with because I came to see Megan, because lets be honest DC never really changes.
So I checked into the hotel and we didn’t leave until my plane back on Sunday. The hotel was bad. There is no other word to describe the horror of that hotel. Again we stayed up all night and there were ups, downs, laughs, cries and more room service than I had ever had in any other hotel. It was the hardest thing to hold Megan and just cry and know that I would have to leave in about 24 hours. We talked about how depressed she was and how much we just missed each other. It was by far the worst night of my life. The next morning, Megan started to freak out! It was like nothing I had ever seen. It was the first time I had experienced a panic attack. Needless to say it was not a fun morning whatsoever. This was the first time Megan came out and said that she was depressed.
After Megan had clamed down, we checked out of the hotel and took the subway back to CUA. It was just a few hours before I had to take a taxi back to BWI to go home. CUA was beautiful, the Basilica was beautiful, I met Brandee, Megan’s awesome roommate, and the grounds of an East campus school was much different than the hippy NAU. However, Megan was not happy which made me feel, once again, hopeless.
Megan and I were both exhausted. Three days, no sleep and crying almost non-stop was not the best mixture for a happy weekend. The taxi arrived. It was time for me to go. We looked at each other, kissed, and I got in the car. I did not look back and I called my mom and broke down for the hour ride to the airport. I got on the plane at 8PM arrived in AZ at 12AM (time change) and drove back for my 8AM midterm the next day, not my best work. But it was worth it.
DC was filled with memories, most of them bad, but it was still a weekend with my love. And that weekend will never leave my memory. It was our first real test in our relationship and I am proud to say that we both passed.
-Eric Pfaffenberger
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