Margaux (hearts) Stuart

Stuart is my boss.

But he's been much more than that. Poor Stuart, like everyone else in my life right now, he got me at a bad time. The first year I was with him, I walked away from my community, some of my family, I got divorced. It wasn't a great year.

But Stuart's been great. He was much more than a boss. Over the past two years, he's been a role model, a mentor, and as cheesy as it sounds, a very good friend.

He was the one who, when he heard my story finally, refused to let me leave the patio to go to marriage counselling, and got me drunk instead. (I threw up on my favorite dress so not sure how cool that was, but his intentions were good.)

He's also the one who told me, that same day, that married men never leave their wives. Wish I had listened, he was right of course.

He's the one who pushed me constantly to be better, even when it made me cry. He listened to my problems, he gave me lots of time off to go to Montreal and be with my uncle who is sick. We'd be in the middle of stressful times at work, and he'd say, wanna see some pictures of my kids? Or we'd only have a few minutes to get something done and he'd ask how are things going with my boyfriend.

Of course, none of my last three boyfriends have been good enough for me, because, according to him, I "deserve better". :)

He's the one who convinced me to go back to school, who took me and my friends out for Christmas drinks the past two years and paid for everything. He remembered my birthdays, bought me housewarming gifts and wrote me cards. He brought me back an idol of Ganesh when he went to India. He said he wasn't sure if I'd like it or it would offend me, but Ganesh was a nice God, "unlike the one I knew".

He tried to be another dad to someone who was struggling to live in the city with hers far away. He never treated me as a minion, but always gave me dignity and respect.

He was nosy, no doubt about it. And he butted in on a lot of things that were none of his business. But, he did it because I think he really loves me.

A couple of weeks ago, he asked me to come to his office, and told me he was leaving. He has a new job in New York. I cried.

But hey, I have been so lucky to have him around the past two years. Sure, he drives me crazy sometimes, but that's ok. Most of the people we really love drive us crazy.

Going into the next week, I have three goodbye parties for him. And that's not nearly enough to say goodbye to someone quite so important.

You never know. Maybe he'll get to NY and realize he really can't live without me, and I'll go there too someday. Whatever happens, this friendship is definitely not over. Not yet anyway. :)