Saying Goodbye In Lubbock Is An Art Form

There are goodbyes...and then...there are Lubbock goodbyes.

You can't rush them. You can't escape them. You can only accept that once someone is "fixin to head out", they aren't, and you have just entered a social West Texas labyrinth that no Google Map can help you find a quicker way out of.

Step 1: The First Goodbye (The Warm-Up Phase)

The first goodbye starts indoors, somewhere near the snacks. You stand up, do a little stretchin', and say something like, "Well, I guess I better get out'a here." Nobody around believes you. Half of the room begins a brand-new story from their high school days, like that time your cousin drove into the lake. You sit back down. It's only polite.

Step 2: The Doorway Goodbye (AKA: The Encore)

15 minutes after the first goodbye, you make your way to the door. You've got your keys in your hand like a hostage note, and you're staring at your car parked just beyond the front lawn, when someone says, "Wait, a second! I forgot to tell ya—" and now you're talking about gas prices, the neighbors' oddly smelly dog, and the upcoming freeze.

Step 3: The Front Porch Goodbye (Peak Emotional Territory)

This is where the hugs start and don't stop. You're going to hug at least three times and promise to "get together again soon," and both of you mean it, even though you both know better. You won't see them again till Easter. It is what it is.

Step 4: The Driveway Goodbye (The Director's Cut)

You've made it to your car, but somebody follows you there, chattering on about nothing and everything all at the same time. Prepare to be there for 10 more minutes talking about your Nana's recent fall in the shower and how you were the only one home to get her out. You both agree that those Life Alert bracelets are way more important than you realized, as you climb into the driver's seat of your car.

Step 5: The Window Goodbye (The Epilogue)

The keys are in the ignition, the engine is running, but the window is still down for one final wave and convo before you drive off into the sunset. Even as you pull away, you're still waving and talking away. It's how we do things here. Don't ask why. We don't know, and at this point, we are tired of talking.

The Lubbock Goodbye Is All About Love

You don't usually realize until you've left, but in Lubbock, saying goodbye isn't really about leaving. It's about stretching those last few minutes of good company before the quiet ride home alone with your thoughts. Around here, it's like we say goodbye the way we live; slow, friendly, and with a whole bunch of heart.

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