Dear T,
I'm really worried about your upcoming trip. I know I expressed some of it today. And it sounds like you're worried, too? But maybe I need to talk about it some more or at least fears of what could happen if you get sick.


You mentioned recently that client having long Covid, where he coughed every other sentence. And you said if that happened to you, you could no longer do your job. And I have this thought of, if you were no longer able to do your job, then your family and friends could still talk to you. But I could probably never talk to you again. Like maybe I could send an email update or something, and you could maybe reply with something brief (like "thanks for the update"). But the thought of just suddenly not being able to talk to you again sort of crushes me. I know it could happen for other reasons, or be a circumstance where no one could talk to you, but in this sort of circumstance, where you'd be alive and mostly functional but would have to retire suddenly from your job...and because I'm just a client, I would essentially cease to exist in your life--that's really difficult for me to deal with. (Or, God forbid, if you didn't survive, it's not like I'd be able to go to your funeral or would maybe even know when/where it was.)

So, OK, I guess we need to discuss this, no matter how awkward it might be or what harsh truths you might need to share (like "Nope, I'd never be able to speak with you again" or worse, "Why would I speak to you again? You wouldn't be my client anymore," though I don't think you'd say that in those words). If you could maybe possibly say that in that sort of scenario, I could still talk or otherwise communicate with you on occasion, even like once every month or two, that would really help. Or...something. Or maybe I need to know the harsh truth?

Love,
LT