I got such a slap on Tuesday evening, in the form of a phone call telling me of the death of my friend, Mark. I was stunned. I didn't know what to say - utterly speechless. No tears, just shock.
I've known Mark for about 30 years. He graduated in 1981, I was the class of '82. We lived close to each other during high school, and often rode our mopeds to school together. We hung out in the evening, and even worked together briefly at Pioneer Chicken. I'd recently reconnected with him through Face Book, and had chatted with him in the last couple of months about our lives, spouses, children, etc. He was still the kind, warm, easy going boy I'd remembered. And now he is gone.
Over the last couple of nights I've laid in bed and shed my tears, when no one else was awake to see. I've been thinking of him nonstop, and reminiscing about our friendship. I remember silly little things about him - his thick glasses, his tall wiry body, how proud he was when he got his Nova, his thick mop-top of hair that always smelled like Flex shampoo, and his always kind soul. Mark was one of the good guys.
Mark didn't have time to say goodbye. He didn't suffer from a long illness, there was no warning. He lost his life Tuesday night while riding his motorcycle home from work. A 28 year old unlicensed driver, driving a rental car, made an illegal U-turn directly in front of Mark. He had no time to react and plowed directly into the car. He was pronounced dead at the scene. He was only 46 years old. I've watched the news clip over and over. I still can't believe it. Things like this are not supposed to happen. Not to people I know, not to my friends, not to anyone.
This Saturday there will be a viewing and a reception. Formal services will be held at a later date. I dread the thought of going, but I can't miss it. Not for anything.
It will be a hard, hard day.
Rest in Peace my friend.
14 comments:
Dear Sue
We are so sorry for your loss. Our thoughts are with you at this difficult time.
With love
MAX's mom in SA
oh Sue, i'm so sorry for the loss of your friend.....life is very fragile....my best friend lost her husband 11yrs ago, he was 48, was meditating at a spot called gibraltor rock, that he frequented, it is a very high cliff overlooking the valley, we figured he must have slipped..fell 100ft and that was it.....his dogs were with him, some hikers saw the dogs whining at the edge they looked over the edge and saw his body.....it was surreal, it was my hubby's 40th b-day and we all had plans....life has never really been the same.....you just never know when your time is up....
my thoughts are with you during this difficult time...
xo
Dear Sue,
Sorry to hear about your friend. You are right, life is very fragile.
I are very sorry for your loss. I know how hard it is to go through a sudden or sometimes, not so sudden loss...there's no words to describe it. Please know that you are in my thoughts and prayers.
Holly and Deborah
I wish I were as good as you with words. You have so eloquently expressed how we both are feeling about Mark’s death. I’m shocked. I’m angry. I am so sad. Except for emails and FaceBook, I hadn’t seen Mark in a long time. I didn’t need to because I knew he was there and he was fine.
I keep finding myself wandering around, not realizing I even got out of my chair, but feeling like there is something I need to fix. I was planning on calling him yesterday. I’d planned on calling him a number of times and just hadn’t gotten around to it.
Today I’ve gotten around to doing a few things I’ve been putting off. And I will never again be too busy to speak with an old friend. But I will never get back the chance to speak with Mark, because I put it off too long.
It is always shocking and sad when you lose someone through an accident like that... a freak, in the wrong place at the wrong time sort of accident. Both my brothers died in accidents like that, and both young.
I believe in fate.... otherwise I would go nuts.
I will be thinking of you over the next few days. {{{HUGS}}}
Oh Sue :O(
Hope the doggies are giving you lots of extra cuddles.
We have been meaning to pop over after your visit to our blog to say hello.
We are so sorry to read your post today.
It is strange that when you visited us it was the 9/11 post - that really made me realise that we never know what tomorrow brings.
Visiting you today has just reinforced that - we are so sorry at such a needless death.
It is good you have such good memories and had made contact again recently.
You are right these thing shouldn't happen ..... so sorry.
xxxxx
Sue..
My heart is aching with you as you deal with this deeply personal loss
♥ hugs
Thank you all so much for your heartfelt comments.
It means more than you know.
Hi Sue,
We are so sorry that such a tragic accident had happened to Mark. Life is so unpredictable.
Love,
Homer and family.
Words cannot express my deep sadness for you and for your friend's family. When life ends so unexpectedly, it brings home how all of us are held here on this earth by a very fragile thread.
You are much in my thoughts today as you go through this day in honor of your friend. It's always so hard for life to be cut far too short, especially because of the carelessness of others.
It give us all pause...
Hi Sue,
Thank you for sharing yet another piece of yourself with all of us.
I'm sorry you are feeling pain and emptiness. I wish I could help in some way.
You are in our thoughts.
Love, Dena, Robert and Harry
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