What has Rosencrantz done to make Hamlet say this? It’s not as if he’s not realized Rosencrantz is there; He just greeted them with “My excellent good friends.” Plural. So it’s not as if he’s suddenly surprised to see Rosencrantz. He’s just asked Guildenstern a question but he doesn’t wait to hear Guildenstern reply, his attention suddenly turns to Rosencrantz and then to them both.

Has Rosencrantz suddenly gestured in a “What am I, chopped liver?” sort of way? Has he pulled Guildenstern out of the way? Has he made a funny noise? Thumbed his nose and stuck out his tongue.

I do want him to have done something. It’s just more interesting than a generic “Ah.”

If I were Guildenstern, I’d be pretty pleased that my buddy. Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark, asked how I was first. I’d be all, like, proud and ready to spill all my stories. I’d be preparing to tell him the story about my grandmother and the knitting club. I might even share some of my romantic troubles with him, cause you know, he cares, he asked me first. Right? I mean, Suck it Rosencrantz. I’m winning this one.

So many of my dearest friends have moved away. I moved to this city because it had the highest concentration of excellent good friends. It was its chief recommendation. I had some great years with those excellent good friends, years when the friends became more excellent and the friendships more good.

They didn’t leave all at once. Almost every year there is another departure until only a few remain. They left, almost universally, with husbands – or men who would become their husbands. They left and got houses and children. This year, I’m due to lose another friend, with her wife and they will likely get a house and a child.

Unfortunately, all these excellent good friends get their houses in different places. If they would only concentrate in one city again, I might move again just to be surrounded, once more, with excellent good friends.