a "dear john" letter to myself tova gabrielle To: The Old Me From: The New Me RE: Notification of Termination of Relationship Attention: Dwindling Support System cc: Bored of Relations Dear Ms. Gabrielle, I am writing to let you know my intentions regarding our long and torturous relationship: The time has come to inform you that this is no longer working for me, and I want out. I have given this a great deal of painstaking thought and have concluded that the whole arrangement was a deeply misguided idea to begin with, one based upon mere physical needs and rooted in profound co-dependence, rather than one which could possibly be a solace and support within and towards the world at large. It is high time you face facts, join the real world, bite the bullet, and face the music. We simply MUST separate so that we might both still have a chance to move on with our lives before it is too late, if that time has not already come. I realize this will be difficult for you to do, that you will need psychological and spiritual help which I assure you is well worth your pennies; that you do not know who you are without me, that in fact you are completely dependent upon my every thought and breath and that I am your only hope: your light in the darkness. Yet I simply cannot and will not support your selfish whims and continued demands a minute longer. I am incensed that I too, have become so identified with your bottomless needs that I am uncertain how to even begin a life free of your imagined emergencies and overwhelming requirements. To be truthful, I find you exhausting and I deeply resent your attitude of entitlement that you have clung to in order to excuse your encroachment upon my dwindling time in this world. Hence, I must ask and in fact demand that you do not attempt any contact with me, as it will interfere with my urgent need to assure a clean break. I simply refuse to be held hostage any longer to your incessant attention-getting ploys. Although I am willing to concede that this will neither be easy on me, that I will miss our moments of intimacy, I am hopeful that I will eventually find more satisfying relations with one with whom I am not so entwined. I believe our relationship has become incestuous and immoral and ask only that you return to me the things with which I first entered this enmeshed relationship: my body and my mind. May you have better luck in future relationships, T.Gabrielle Rightful Proprietor and Owner