Friday, July 14, 2006
32 is an number I will remember forever.
32... 32. 32. Thirty-two. You learn something new every day. Every single day. Today I learned what the number 32 means. In police code; it means dead person. Every one close to me is alive and well... safe and secure. Thank you universe for this gift. But someone else is dead. A woman with red hair. A woman who has family and friends who loved her.... and still do. People who are just now finding out she is gone from their life. Both her wrists were broken...snapped; she had no shoes on. Her hair was red. I couldn't see her face; all I could see was hair. She was lying face down, half on the curb half on the sidewalk. Her skin was beginning to blend in with the pavement. This is how Simon found her. This is how I found her too. I feel ill. Simon left for work a little over 2 hours ago. He got his bike from the shed, put his helmut on... saw 2 rabbits on our front lawn. He rode past only 2 houses. And there she was. Two doors down. 6:10 am and there she was. I heard him run into the house breathing heavy.... I thought maybe he forgot something for work. But in actuality today has nothing to do with forgetting. It is only about remembering. 32. The call to 911 was made. I heard him say 'body'. I ran outside with my painting quilt, to cover her with warmth. Just in case. But, the sirens came..... the number thirty-two was said in the same sentence as 'she's cold' and I learned my lesson for the day. 32. I find myself trying to lighten this with sarcasm in my own mind... but I know there is nothing funny about today. Nothing. I am sad for the life she lost and for those who lost her. Until the newspapers tell me her name I will think of her as number 32. 32.... when I see her face on the front page I will cry. I will cry. I will cry. I will cry because everyone has a face.... we are not numbers.
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