Friday, August 18, 2006

Wide Awake

I was debating what to write about tonight -- or, because I had to bring work home with me, whether to write at all -- when I got an e-mail from an old friend that one of our mutual friends died on Tuesday.

Now I can't sleep.

This is not something you expect at our age -- or maybe at any age. Needless to say, I'm in shock.

I hadn't spoken to him in quite some time, and actually hadn't even thought about him in a couple years. Of course, on a normal day, I would understand that things like this happen when you grow up and move away -- and, in general, lose touch.

Right now, the concept is lost on me.

This was someone that I've known since middle school. Someone who I used to talk to on the phone late at night, almost every night. At the time, he was one of my best friends -- someone that I never thought would fall out of my life so completely.

Life is so peculiar. Once you think you have a grasp on how it works, the ground shifts beneath you.

My thoughts are all jumbled. And writing, which is usually my salvation, isn't helping me figure any of it out. I guess that means that it's time to try to sleep again.

6 comments:

Justin S. said...

Sorry to hear the news.

dara said...

Thanks. I'm a little taken aback by the whole thing. I just spoke with my friend Ryan to find out the details, and even though I was on the phone with him for 20 minutes, pretty much all I said was "Oh my god."

This is really hard to comprehend.

I said...

I'm sorry as well, There is never a good time for bad news

dara said...

Thanks. I don't even know how to process it right now -- which means that it's probably going to hit me when I get home tomorrow.

I just told my mom, and she's pretty much in shock. I mean, she mostly remembers Mike from when we were kids in hebrew school together.

The other weird coincidence is that it happened in Chicago. One day, I'm going to write about how everyone I care about runs away to Chicago and never comes back.

Ryane said...

Dara, sorry for the sad times. I had a similar thing happen to me w/a guy I knew in high school and even though he and I weren't friends really, it was still very startling.

If you are in need of another distraction, I heartily recommend turning on TV Land. Nothing like a little Nelly Olsen and Laura Ingles to take your mind off of the here and now...=-)

dara said...

Alas, I'm still at work -- and will be here for the forseeable future.

But then I'll be distracted by packing and getting to sleep early so I can be at the airport by 7.