As my mother pulled the car out of the driveway, out of the corner of my eye I noticed the SOLD sign.

I sat in my seat, hand paused holding the seatbelt clasp.

//Wow, the Ansell's house has sold...//

She looked at me a little oddly, and asked where I had been.

It sold last weekend...didn't you know?

Why, no, no I didn't!

I am well aware that change is inevitable, even in sleepy Owen Sound. I am also aware that Chiara would not be living down the street forever. And, even though she's going into her third year of university and only comes home for the major holidays, it is still her house.

I still remember the day she moved into that house. It was Canada day, 1990. I was over at the park across the road, idly swinging. Chiara came over, sat down next to me, and that was that.

Her parents never had a lot of money, but they seemed happy enough. But people change, situations change, and life throws curve balls. As I stood under our lilac tree this afternoon, slowly pulling the flowers off the tree and sucking out the sweet sap as we did years ago, I realized that even if they aren't directly thrown at you, they can still make an impact.

Last year just after I went to school, I remember her phoning me. Her dad had left her mother, and had moved out of the house. Their marriage was over, and she was pissed. She was mad at both of them and the world, and I knew that chances were I wouldn't really see her again.

So the house down the street is no longer her's. Yet another piece of my childhood has slipped away...