Bummer

It isn’t often that I have sad and/or depressing news to report on. Strangely this news isn’t directly associated with me, but involves something that happened to me almost 20 years ago. Way back in the 3rd grade, I guess I got over my fear of cooties and found myself with a “girlfriend”. I put that in quotes because…well…you know…we were only seven or eight. I’m willing to bet it all started with a ‘check yes or no note’. Anyways, we had a school field trip down the Climax “City” Park. I put that in quotes because…well…you know…you can’t really classify Climax as a city. But I digress.

For most of you, I seriously doubt that you’ve ever been to the park. Of the most part, it isn’t too shabby. The park as a few swing sets, a seesaw, merry-go-round, spring horses, slide, and maybe those pull-up bars (hey, it’s been a while). At the edge of the park, there a gully/dry creek bed that’s about 15 ft long and 6-8 ft deep. There’s two wooden bridges that cross the gully over into the Swine Time grounds.

It was under one of those bridges that I received my very first kiss. I don’t remember much…it was probably just a peck on the cheek. But hey, when you grow up a computer nerd, you take what you can get. We “stayed” together for most of 3rd grade and then went our separate ways when the new elementary school opened in Bainbridge and they closed the school in Climax. From that point forward we got placed in different classes and I didn’t really see her much…even up until our high school graduation.

Flash forward to a few days ago. I found that her marriage had taken a bad turn and she tried to commit suicide by overdosing on cocaine. The attempt, depending on how you look at it, failed and left her brain dead on life support. I found out from Mom that they buried her yesterday. Now there’s a five year-old boy without a mother.

Again, the news didn’t directly involve me in any way. But you have to stop and wonder at what point did that sweet, beautiful, innocent girl take a wrong turn and end up like this…in Small Town, USA? At what point did she go left instead of going right? I realize the two decades in question spans the time in your life is when you do the most changing and shaping. I guess it makes you look back at all the decisions you ever made and how you go to be where you are today.

So before I attempt to get all philosophical and introspective, I’m going to stop right here.

I do, however, want to dedicate this post to Gina. I hope you found that peace you were looking for.