I just watched the series finale of Frasier. I had taped it, but hadn't had the time to watch it until tonight after I got home from my last night out with my friends. I am truely astounded by it. For one thing, it was simply the best ending to a series that I have ever seen.
As I mentioned to Emily the other night, I am almost always disapointed by the last episode of a series I've enjoyed, and there has been no other series that has touched me in so many ways as this one had over the years, as long time readers of this diary, and old friends of mine know well. So, as you can probably imagine, I was a little trepidacious about watching this one. After all, I would have hated my memories of this great show being ruined by a sub-par ending.
Not only was I greatly suprised, but as always I was genuinely moved by the final hour. It left me feeling as if the ending was perfect. As if this deserved to be where we leave the characters, which is not really the end, but just a momentary stopping place between chapters in thier lives. It also really felt like the end of an era, which is something that no other series has accomplished in making me feel.
Perhaps I am paticularly moved by this because this is the end of an era in my personal life as well. As many of you know, I'm going to Dallas on Sunday to begin training to become a truck driver. As many of you also know, I've also said good-bye to Galileo and the Wednesday night poetry reading (something I didn't do before going to Vegas, prophetically enough). Sure, I may have ended my time at that reading two weeks earlier then I actually had to leave (this was not intentional, I was actually hoping to be gone by now, but the delay in getting my birth certificate from Alameda County, CA made this impossible). I also recieved a hell of a send-off from many of the wonderful people I've gotten to know from the readings after the Deli reading last Saturday night. (Sorry, Nate) I moved out of my apartment in the Paseo district, and all is now ready for me to leave (except for a few phone calls I have to make tomorrow/today.
There are a great many people who I will probably never see again, and even those who have been close to me the past few years aren't going to see much of me. In fact, I think I will have a rather difficult time getting to see the people I want to see in the little amounts of time that I will be home. This all kind of adds up to make things seem rather final in my life.
A new chapter begins. The old chapter must end also. This is the way it works. As much as I wish I could blend the two together, the fact is, nothing will ever be the same again. Some characters are probably gone for good, but the story continues. I have no regrets on this night.
For those of you I don't get to talk too before I begin my oddessy, I love you and goodbye. (yes, that was intentional)
~M
