Bad day
I thought I had left the sleepless night and pensive morning behind until I sat down for dinner with my wife. The local news was ending, and there was some image of a small plane in a body of water. She had just gotten off the phone with her mother and we began to enjoy our Mow & Johnny's take out when the phone rang again. Like anyone else, we don't like being disturbed during dinner. But it was my father, so we answered the call.
He was calling to ask if I'd seen the news, and when I told him I had just turned it on he informed me that the father of a high school friend was killed in a plane crash. My old friend was seriously injured, and his mother was also in the plane and also injured, but not seriously. Not only was I in the same graduating class in a small high school, but we also lived close to each other. I spent a decent amount of time at his house, and vice versa. We drifted away when college started.
I've spent the last few hours trying to let all those that I know who have had any connection to the family know, and I finally have a chance to let it sink in. I don't think it has at all. I can't imagine what it's like for anyone in the family.
I've never known how to really deal with death. Does anyone? I'm no stranger to having loved ones passing or being there for the passing of a friend or family member. I just don't know how to process it. I've never been able to. I can go along and function fine in the wake of this type of tragedy, but it's something that stays with me for years whether I like it or not.
