I’ve been to only one funeral in my life. It was my great-grandmother’s, and it happened well over five years ago (I actually can’t remember how long it’s been).
In about seven hours, I’ll be at my second funeral… only this time it’s a friend I met back in high school and managed to stay in touch with after graduation.
We started to run into each other more often over the last year since we both found ourselves back in town. The last time I ran into her, I was out with Anna buying more milk. It was New Year’s Eve, and I was standing in a super long line at the self-checkout with my one measly gallon of milk, while everyone around me was prepping for a big night of partying.
I heard someone call my name, and when I turned around I saw my friend, S.
We talked for a few minutes while I was in line, and then she invited me to her apartment for a small, low-key New Year’s Eve party.
My parents were nice enough to keep the baby monitor on with them after I put Anna to sleep, and for the first time in God knows how long, I spent a New Year’s Eve with friends. (I think I’ve only spent one other New Years with friends)
Later on, when I was making random Facebook status updates about the job hunt, this same friend often asked how things were going and wanted to know all about my new job once I accepted it.
Now she’s dead. Just like that.
21 years old.
It’s a really weird feeling. I think I’m still in shock because I haven’t cried or felt really depressed about it yet. It doesn’t feel real.
It probably will in about seven hours, though.
I just wish God would make a rule where no one dies in their 20s. Or, maybe He could only let people die if they’re acting like idiots and doing stupid things that could actually kill them.
She was just driving. No drinking involved, and in the evening when no one else is typically drunk driving either. But somehow she lost control of her car (I was driving the same day, and I do remember it being a little icey where I was, which was about 30 minutes north of her car accident). Her car went into the other lane and there just happened to be another car coming the opposite direction.
I hope I can keep myself together in seven hours.
