Personal: Saying Goodbye to an Old Friend

They say, "the best mirror is an old friend". I've never realized how true that was until a couple of weeks ago. A handful of old friends thought to call me when the tragic news broke. We reflected on my adolescent love. It's sad to see the gap that life has put between us and memories. To these friends, I want you to know I'm sorry that it takes times like these to have us reconnect and that I have missed you. 

The joy Frankie brought to my life was being my first real boyfriend. "Going out" consisted of; my mom giving him rides home from school, hanging out at the Rollerdome and the perusing the T.O. Mall with a bunch of friends. My step-dad would disconnect our lengthy phone calls about nothing not a minute later than my curfew...earth shattering every night. The best was how we'd stand at lunch in that awkward pose that looks like we were about to take a picture. He was the first boy I kissed (at a Teen Center Dance on NYE), the first boy I had at my birthday, the first one to give me jewelry and the first one I've known to have his life taken far too soon.  In hindsight, adolescence was easy; everything added up and you were always told what to do.

Even as a kid, Frankie was the kindest of souls, which makes it unbearable to imagine the despair his wife and family are now carrying in their hearts. I can't allow myself to think of how they are handling this. The hardest part, is that this will never add up and there could never be an answer to explain this travesty. Frankie, I was so lucky to of had you walk through my life, though it was for a blink of an eye, your footprints will forever be on my heart.



"...I must remember somewhere out there a person died for me today. As long as there must be war, I ask and I must answer was I worth dying for?” - Eleanor Roosevelt

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