Goodbye Baby AirBud

Yesterday my left AirPod lept from my ear while I was removing a quiche from the oven and slipped into the fiery zone beneath the racks. 

It happened so quickly, and yet almost in slow motion. The sounds of Payton Lindsey’s voice abruptly quit discussing the Zodiac killer, and I screamed a stream of every four letter word I have ever heard into the oven. 

My daughter got up and left the room very quickly, the bathroom door clicking shut behind her. 

I imagined my beloved air pod melting into the flames and wondered why she would take her own life this way - was I not good to her? I cleaned her with rubbing alcohol and kept her charged and happily tucked away in the breadbox in my kitchen. I decorated her little case with a beautiful custom sticker and lovingly called the two of them my “airbuds” … yes, like the basketball movie with the dog. It’s cute, ok? 

I adored her and she abandoned me. 

Now her sister sits alone, redundant, useless in a sad little case with an empty slot. 

Surprisingly she emerged in relatively good shape, deceased and broken, but still beautiful. 

I can’t throw away her melted body, I’m not ready.  Honestly I don’t even know the appropriate burial - can I recycle her or is she doomed to live in landfill until the end of days? 

Poor girl, she deserved more and I let her down.

Sleep well little teeny ear thing, I know I made fun of you initially for being the headphone choice of douchebags, but you proved me wrong and I loved you.