And that's the last of Ben. Yesterday after work I went out for drinks at the Gnome with him and Nora — a last Dan-related hurrah before they leave the state and, eventually, the country.

(When Ben said that he'd never been to Sweeney's or the Gnome, I didn't know what to do... but then I did.)

I'm slightly jealous of their imminent Grand European Adventure, especially since I've made two half-hearted attempts to teach abroad in the past. With every year it seems less and less likely that I'll live abroad for any extended period of time.

(Again.)

After conversation, a few drinks, and some overattentive service from our waitress, we transferred Ben's videogame gear from his car to mine and went our separate ways.

I spent the rest of yesterday night playing BioShock on Ben's Xbox 360. It's good, very good.