This week, I was dumped. Well, my phone calls and emails were ignored, so I’m guessing that both tick boxes definitely placed me into the category of officially dumped.

As I sat at home listening to the dulcet tones of Keith Urban, working my way through a tub of chocolate gelati and trying to find every reason I could that it was his issue and not mine, it reminded me of a time I sat in a small internet cafe amidst the vastness of Vietnam’s capital, Ho Chi Minh.

Somewhere in my emails, I know I have the story.

Get over the boy. Get onto yahoo mail search.

I couldn’t help but notice the young girl next to me was hiding behind her dust mask, with tears almost as heavy as yesterday’s rain, running down her cheeks.

After asking her if everything was alright, she proceeded to tell me about her Italian lover who hadn’t responded to her emails in six months after leaving the city and proclaiming he would return in two weeks.

Broken love affairs are difficult at the best of times, but even in a town filled with promiscuity, one night stands and a string of broken hearts longer than the Ho Chi Minh trail, I couldn’t help but feel for this young girl who had simply been used for a little bit of fun. Thuy shared the following email with me, and was content when I asked her if I could share it.

i have just one thing that made me happy honey
that is my realy love. I missing you so much. I want hear in your word.
i want you said to me the true that you are still in love in me or no?
i have feeling alone here in this city not because i have no friends
because i missing only you honey
I want to here what it your feeling
i have feeling that you want make me far away from you honey
not letter not call
so all the free times you are thinking not thing about me?
that ok tell me traid what it you want honey?
i want here really clear you want to do the true.
where is your love for me? i don’t think so!
The world is not always good and i very sad for you.
If I choice not be!
The true love never have the cost honey?
maybe it late to tell you
it realy true.
That i’m in love in you!
hug

After telling her everything would be alright, Thuy hurriedly packed her bags and thanked me for listening. Having been absorbed writing her email and listening to Westlife, she had forgotten the time and was running late for work at Italian restaurant ‘Pendolassco’. As she jumped on her bike and pedalled into the distance, I felt certain this wouldn’t be her last bout of dust mask tears.

I then went to visit my friend Quan and told him about the young girl. After sharing a few stories of broken hearts and empty wallets, he likened love to instant noodles – millions of packets on offer, cheap, quick, tasteless and unfulfilling.

We agreed that to really know love is to spend time preparing, making sure you have all the right ingredients and that everything goes together well. Only then will you not only enjoy it, but no matter how much it changes each time it is made, you will look forward to the same meal time and time again.

I then put the the lid back on the ice cream container, opened the fridge and prepared the best roast dinner I had in a long time.

As I worked my way through the roast vegetables and succulent marinated lamb, I appreciated the fun times, cherished the opportunity of the shared moments and thanked the dumper for allowing me the opportunity to restock the pantry, fill the fridge and spend time preparing for one hell of a feast.

Instant noodles just aren’t worth it.

you bloody ripper!