I said goodbye to him two years ago. He lay absolutely still like an inanimate object in the chilly hospital room -- I'd have added "alone" for effect but there was a snoring old guy with syphilis in the other bed, oh fuck it it's good for effect -- all alone, and I walked in, my curiously lava-like tears steaming hot twin streams against my cheeks every time I blinked in the face of the subarctic -- previously described as chilly but it got worse now, ok? -- hospital air conditioning. I went over to him quietly like a very quiet person and sat down at his side, taking one of his cold hands in mine, still dripping tears all over my shirt unable to stop the outward flow of my inner anguish at the thought of leaving him for good eternity the rest of my life the final time...