I had the itch, the wanderlust; a restlessness caused primarily by my girlfriend, who was on my case about how I was freeloading AND never did anything around the house either, and though I knew she was completely right, I resented the blunt, unsympathetic way she confronted the principal dilemma of the writer's struggle, and as a result, I felt like I needed some space. After my last few relationships had ended in tragedy (or farce, depending on your worldview), I had resolved to make this one work and not have to once again scramble to find a place to live. I figured some time exploring on my own would give us both the space we needed to rediscover what we valued in each other. By which I mean give her the space to rediscover what she valued in me. Absence making the heart grow fonder and all.

I...

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