A memo from me to I

Hi

It’s me.

Your closest neighbour for the last 20 years.

The ant, the figment who lives in your basement.

I know, it’s been a while.

I just wanted to try and get back in contact,

Restart the conversation.

Do you remember when we were younger?

We got on well back then.

You would say “I’m hungry”,

I would say, “Let’s go and get food!”

You would say, “I’m going to bed”,

I’d say “I’m not tired”

And while you slept I ran around the world,

I played hopscotch over alligators

And hid from the tiger who came to tea.

Then things changed, can you remember?

I said, “let’s run!”

You said, “No.”

I said “I want to get up now”

You said “I’m tired.”

I tried to work, you walked out and slammed the door,

made my ears ring.

I said “I’m going to…”

You said

We became a mess of “I want to”

And “I’m tired” “I hurt”

I said “I want to have fun”

I said “I want to go to school today”

And when you said “No” I dragged you behind me,

I didn’t stop pulling until we got back home,

And I said “I’m sorry”

And you said

Now, I see that maybe I should have done more.

I want to do more.

I can’t be an easy person to live with.

I’m loud, I’m fast.

I want to dance, to sing, to run.

You’ve never been one for running.

So maybe I need to stop asking you to speed up.

Maybe I need to slow down

To ask for less

To do less.

To be less.

I’m prepared to do that for you.

I don't really have a choice any more.

So please,

Can we try again?

What do you say?