Goodbyes and Fresh Starts

Chapter Two

Ray had approached the Radio station where Robbie had gotten himself a nice job hosting a radio show after graduation, he didn't know if he planned to do it for more then the summer. So far he enjoyed doing it and he missed being on the airwaves since RFR had gone off the air; he thought he had finally found his calling in life. He was currently unattached, but it was only a matter of time before that changed. Ray knocked on the glass that had separated him from Robbie; Robbie looked up and waved, signaling him to come in. Ray had to talk to someone, and Robbie was his first and only choice.

"Hey." Robbie said removing his headphones and placing them on the table next to him. "How'd it go?"

"I don't know, we said good-bye." Ray began, "God Rob, I miss her already."

"But you had to do it Ray." Robbie said putting his hand on Ray's shoulder. "If everything kept on going the way it has been, you were both bound to get hurt, even more then you already are."

"I know, but I can't help but think, what if I had done this or she had done that, would things be different?" Ray pondered.

"Give it some time man," Robbie said "If it's meant to be, it will happen, and if I know what I feel in my heart right now, it will happen, you and Lily are meant to be, it's written in the stars. I have to get on air, would you like to sit in and be my very first guest?"

Ray thought about what Robbie had said and knew he was right; they just needed time. Robbie handed Ray a pair of headphones, leaving Ray no choice but to go on the air.

"Hey listeners, thank you for tuning, you're listening to 95.5. I'm Rob and today I have a special guest with me. His name is Ray and he and I go way back. He's just said good-bye to his one and only true love, so if any of you out there have any advice for my man, please call in and tell us what we can do to ease the pain. Caller you're on the air." Robbie said.

"Hi, Travis here."

"Travis?" Robbie questioned him.

"Yes McGrath, Travis Strong, you know!"

"Of course, so what do we owe the pleasure?" Robbie asked.

Having been in a similar situation as Ray's, Travis knew it all to well. In grade 10 he had said good-bye to Audrey, the one girl he had ever loved. He had relationships since then but nothing compared to what he had felt when he was with Audrey. "Well I just tuned in, I'm kinda busy packing to leave for London in a few but I know what Ray is feeling. he knows it to, because I too have been through the very obviously tragic losing your one and only true love and the only thing I have to give is this quote I came upon years ago while surfing the net. "When one door closes, another opens, but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one that has opened for us." It's helped me get through the painful times, because although one door does close, another will open up with a whole world of opportunities. For years I looked at that closed door and longed for it to open, not realizing that the other door had opened; and when I saw it, I walked through it and realized my life was just beginning. Which brings us to the present, if I had never opened up that door; I would have never known what lies ahead. But I have a future now; I'm going to London to learn new things but most of all to learn about my self. So Ray open that door, see what lies ahead, and don't dwell on the past because eventually it will come back to haunt you."

"Very thoughtful, Trav." Ray said into the mic. "And really, thanks, I'm gonna open up that door."

"That was our very good friend Travis Strong with his advice for Ray, thanks again Travis. That's all the time we have today, thanks for listening and I'll see you all tomorrow, same time, same place." Robbie said flicking the buttons. "So you wanna go to Mickey's?"

"Don't you ever get sick of music and coffee, McGrath? I mean you listen to it all day at work and you've began this nasty coffee habit."

"No and No." Robbie laughed. "I'm a working man now and I need my caffeine and as for music, it's all around you how can one get sick of it?"

"Whatever, you're crazy." Ray said lightly punching his friend in the arm. "Let's go!"

So they headed off to Mickey's.

Travis's words were still fresh in Ray's mind. He had no idea what he had wanted in life, besides being with Lily and since that door closed long ago, he needed to figure out how to open the next door. He thought long and hard for many days until he had finally come up with a plan. Robbie had needed a co host for his radio show and had offered Ray the position. He didn't think anyone else could fill the position. Ray and Robbie worked well together, they were the right combination of funny and serious; he took the job. Plus he planned to try and write a TV series about his RFR experiences on the side. It was the day that Travis was leaving and Robbie and Ray planned to take him out to dinner. They sat around the table just eating and talking.

"Oh man I hate Good-Byes." Ray complained.

"It's not good-bye, good-bye seems too permanent, and since I plan to visit any chance I get, it's not really good-bye." Travis said.

"So the RFR gang is really broken up, Lily is in LA and Travis will be in London, and that leaves Ray and me here in Roscoe." Robbie said.

"Yea, I'm gonna hate to miss your first day on the job Ray, but I know you'll do well, radio may be your calling." Travis said.

"Maybe, but did I tell you I want to try and write a TV series based on our experiences with RFR?" Ray asked excitedly.

"Write?" Robbie and Travis laughed.

"What? I can write, maybe not as well as the next person, but I can do it." Ray said.

"You can do whatever you set your mind to Ray," Travis told him. "Besides I think that the whole RFR thing is a good idea, I know I'd watch it."

"Me too!" Robbie said. "And you can name the characters after us."

"I don't know about that, we've remained anonymous since RFR started and I don't plan to reveal us, ever" Ray said.

"Yea, someone might catch on, but it's a cool idea!" Robbie said.

"Well guys," Travis said looking at his watch. "It's late and I have an early flight to catch in the morning, so see ya later."

"Later." Ray and Robbie replied, each giving Travis a hug. They didn't say good-bye because as Travis said it seemed too permanent, and yet Ray had already said good-bye to Lily weeks earlier.

Please Read and Review!!