One of my closest friends from PST (Pre-Service Training) left about two weeks ago. We call him Toad. His name is Todd, and is absolutely one of the kindest people I've ever met. It's just hit me, how much I miss him, How much I miss getting a random text message from him, or a phone call or a a hug.
I remember first meeting him in LA, at orientation at the Renaissance Hotel. We got stuck doing this stpudid ice-breaker excercise together. I remember introducing myself, extending my hand to shake his... And Toad, sweet as he is, said, "I'm a hugger". And that was it, I knew we would be friends.
Toad had it rough from the very beginning. He asked for the chicken meal on Air New Zealand. It was pink, so he didn't eat it, he drank wine instead. And then, when we got to our host families, he got bed bugs. Itchy and swollen and miserable as it was, Toad kept truckin' on through. Giving out hugs and love... It's crazy, but in the short amount of time we had here, we became good friends. We saw each other through good times through not so good times, through really bad no good times at all... We cried and laughed and danced and sat on the beach or at Aji's house drinking grog, me and Toad and Ropate, my boys... and we made a pact that if we ever decided to leave we wouldn't do so without talking to each other first. (that seems like ages ago)
And then he constantly kept getting sick. I could see him losing pounds (or in this case, kilos) every week. I could see him struggling without his girlfriend, who he left back home. I could see him really struggling to keep things together and stay. Even after site visit, even after swearing in.... I remember him calling me in a panic... crying over the phone and not knowing what to do. I knew then, i was losing toad. When it came down to it though, some things are just not worth it, some things just don't feel right, and some things are just too big to give up and risk losing. I even played devils advocate a lot with him and tried to convince him to stay... Toad's heart was just in a different place. So while I lost Toad's presence here in Fiji, I've gained the support of a true friend. It was hard to see him E.T. (Early Terminate) but in the long run I know he's done the right thing for himself.
If you are reading this Toad man: I miss you, we all miss you... Your absence is greatly felt . And i can't believe you didnt leave me your Charlie Brown T-shirt. What's up with that!?