Sam Mullins

Riding shotgun, Elaine couldn't believe how different the dynamic was between them. After all the interest he'd showered on her, all they'd done together, now all she got was a patronizing, maybe you could afford this crummy room in this crummy house with these weirdos, Elaine. Or of course, you could always go back to Ron, in which case I'd happily pay for your flight.

But Elaine was unwavering, and for some unexplained reason, Davis seemed annoyed. Before he left, Davis told Elaine that he'd be spending some time in Scotland and then be moving to France, most likely. So the only way she'd be able to reach him was through a P.O. box that he'd set up in London. And then he was gone. For Elaine, it was hard to stand up, hard to exist on her own.

But Elaine was unwavering, and for some unexplained reason, Davis seemed annoyed. Before he left, Davis told Elaine that he'd be spending some time in Scotland and then be moving to France, most likely. So the only way she'd be able to reach him was through a P.O. box that he'd set up in London. And then he was gone. For Elaine, it was hard to stand up, hard to exist on her own.

Her being alone muscles had atrophied, like an astronaut feeling gravity again. She had to start over. While Davis had effectively disappeared himself from Elaine's life, Ron, alone in Canada, was slowly beginning to understand that Elaine really wasn't coming back.

Her being alone muscles had atrophied, like an astronaut feeling gravity again. She had to start over. While Davis had effectively disappeared himself from Elaine's life, Ron, alone in Canada, was slowly beginning to understand that Elaine really wasn't coming back.

Ron would send things in the mail to her.

Ron would send things in the mail to her.

One time it was just a toothbrush. It was as if he could only process through one object at a time that she was gone for good. The year following, in 1994, Elaine went to Italy to teach English for a bit. Italy strikes me as the perfect palate cleanser after a winter in Calgary. Her relationship with Ron settled into that vague purgatory where all of our exes live.

One time it was just a toothbrush. It was as if he could only process through one object at a time that she was gone for good. The year following, in 1994, Elaine went to Italy to teach English for a bit. Italy strikes me as the perfect palate cleanser after a winter in Calgary. Her relationship with Ron settled into that vague purgatory where all of our exes live.

where there's no direct contact, but you might hear things through the grapevine like, oh, he got a job at Radio Shack? Good for him. And Davis would keep tabs on Elaine by calling her mother from time to time.

where there's no direct contact, but you might hear things through the grapevine like, oh, he got a job at Radio Shack? Good for him. And Davis would keep tabs on Elaine by calling her mother from time to time.

And this is how things were between the triangle of Elaine and Ron and Davis. They had drifted apart, become constellations in different parts of the sky. But then, in early 1995, 18 months after Elaine had left Ron in Calgary... Ron writes to me to tell me that he's thinking of coming back to England.

And this is how things were between the triangle of Elaine and Ron and Davis. They had drifted apart, become constellations in different parts of the sky. But then, in early 1995, 18 months after Elaine had left Ron in Calgary... Ron writes to me to tell me that he's thinking of coming back to England.

He was clear. He said, I'm not coming back to disrupt your life. I'm just coming back. And then shortly after that, guess who suddenly wanted to talk? Not to Elaine's mother, but to Elaine.

He was clear. He said, I'm not coming back to disrupt your life. I'm just coming back. And then shortly after that, guess who suddenly wanted to talk? Not to Elaine's mother, but to Elaine.

This feeling stayed with Elaine for days. The question wouldn't leave her. For what possible reason would Davis be upset about Ron coming back to England? And it's here, with this question spinning in Elaine's mind, that something changed. The combination of Davis not being there for Elaine when she moved back, and then this annoyance with Ron? She just had a bad feeling about it.

This feeling stayed with Elaine for days. The question wouldn't leave her. For what possible reason would Davis be upset about Ron coming back to England? And it's here, with this question spinning in Elaine's mind, that something changed. The combination of Davis not being there for Elaine when she moved back, and then this annoyance with Ron? She just had a bad feeling about it.

And she had to say something to Ron.

And she had to say something to Ron.

Once Ron was back in England, he stayed out of Elaine's orbit like he promised he would. Elaine continued getting patchy information through the grapevine about Ron. I heard he's moved to Essex. He's found a job down there. I heard he's living not too far from David Davis. Davis stopped calling Elaine and Elaine's mom at regular intervals. They had essentially lost touch.