This was the first time I have ever tried to write about Adela. I hate, and fear, sentimental writing, so I feel I had to tiptoe around, then surrender to, writing about her in the way I felt about her. Looking back on the two plus years we kept in contact, and very common contact, I realize what an unhealthy and silly relationship this was, but it is hard to describe how I was able to force that out of my mind for so long.
It was nice to write about her. Every now and then she'll drift back into my life or my thoughts, and I'm never mad about it, but writing about the two years she consumed my entire life is a confusing and tumultuous experience. For fucks sake, I could be married right now.
I realize that I should, and might have to, organize this essay in a me/her kind of way; one section could be about me and my life (why I hated school, all that (which, if you were in creative nonfiction, you know all about)) and then one about her's (her awful family, her success in school, the strains put upon her that almost lead to her downfall), but it's going to take a lot more time and effort to think about this objectively.
Also, it started out funny, and ended up being sad, and I think the parts that are more self-deprecating and dry humor-ish are far better. I plan on cutting most of the Ivrea part, which I thought was necessary, but in hindsight it doesn't fit the rest of the essay, which is much more important.
I think of more excuses for workshop. I'm just glad that I had a chance to write about Adelina mia one time before I graduated, four years after I almost married her. (ha?).
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