solosection | F I C : to and from .

To: esp@colburn.com
From: o.abrams@columbia.com
__________

Dear Elio,

After our last meet and greet, I've followed your career as it has continued to surge. First Paris Conservatory, now Colburn? They're not just elitist with their students, from what I've heard, but definitely with their educators, too. And you're one of the youngest professors there, right? It speaks in your favor. Not that I'm surprised.

I've always known you'd take it far.

The reason I'm writing you out of the blue like this is because I'll be attending a two-week seminar on the word and monument of the Pre-Socratic thinkers in L.A. I don't know why we're assembling there, but I imagine it's a West Coast decision and L.A. is considered neutral ground or something along those lines. University politics, I'm still trying not to get invested.

As such, I'll be in your hood from start-December till the holiday season. Let me know if you want to meet up, have a cup of coffee or anything. I'll be accommodated at a conference hotel along with everyone else, so please don't worry about offering me a place to stay, I'm good.

I'm really hoping to see you, Elio.

Later!
Oliver

PS. If rumor hasn't reached you yet, Micol and I have separated and are working through the paperwork to effectuate our divorce. It should all be in order by the time I hit Tinsel Town.

To: o.abrams@columbia.com
From: esp@colburn.com
__________

Dear Oliver,

I'll always be worrying about offering you a place to stay, but you already knew that or you wouldn't have told me not to think about it, right? Has so little really changed since then? I'm a professor of music now, a piano teacher, a concert pianist, but as soon as you write me, I'm back to playing Bach in the style of Liszt or Busoni with the bulletproof confidence of any 17 year old. Because in your usual, roundabout way, you're telling me that you remember. That you want to.

So much has changed since. I'm teaching, you're teaching, you're getting divorced. Neither of us is in Italy, except in our memories. Maybe in our dreams.

Since I can't tell whether you're asking me to carve out time in my calendar for a cup of coffee or a fuck, I'll reserve a couple of evenings and we'll start with coffee. If you're too tired to go bar crawling, I have a very nice apartment where you're welcome, as long as you don't stay the night.

I'm waiting for someone, you see. I'm keeping certain parts of my life reserved for them these days. We're alike in many ways, but in this one aspect, I think, we might be different, Oliver.

Still, I look forward to seeing you again.

Elio.

To: esp@colburn.com
From: o.abrams@columbia.com
__________

Dear Elio,

I do remember. I remember everything. I just want to talk, really. I've lost too many years to another life, where i am now, I just want to know you again.

When you say we're different in that regard, however, I think it's our estrangement talking, not facts. Because fact is, I've kept certain parts of my life reserved for someone too, Elio. For more than fifteen years at this point.

But I'm aware some things need to be seen to be believed and felt to be understood. Thank you for your willingness to indulge me. Let's meet for a bar crawl the first night and see where it takes us.

Oliver