friend

I am finally taking the time to sit down and write and entry, but unfortunately it’s not going to contain anything about which I had been meaning to write. That has suddenly become rancorously trite. I remember a couple of weeks ago right before the series finale of Angel, still upset over the death of Fred, that I came to the realization that no one that I know has died in quite some time. It worried me intensely but quickly faded into oblivion. A glimmer of prescience, perhaps.

This entry is dedicated to my friend Kristi who passed away yesterday afternoon.

“Gone away, it’s the same old, same old song
Gone away, well it’s my whole life in words.”

Gone Away. Cold

I used to work with her at Chick-Fil-A. She was one of the few employees there that had been hired before I started. She was so tiny and so sweet. The memory of Kristi with her blond hair and a cute, almost mischievous smile wearing her Chick-fil-A uniform, which always seemed oversized, stands out in my mind. An adorable imp.

We used to call each other by the name “Friend.” I would come into work, see her and ecstatically shout “Friend!” She would reciprocate. Then came the obligatory hug. She would squeeze me with all of her might with a great “Mmm MMMMMMMM” for added emphasis.

Sometimes we would skip straight to the hug:

“She’s my friend,” I would say.
“He’s my friend,” she would affirm.
“We’re friends,” we would then chime in unison. It never ever failed to brighten my day.

From the Lubbock Avalanche Journal, May 31, 2004:

21-year-old Lubbock woman loses life in collision with truck

A woman died on Sunday when a truck-tractor collided with her car at the intersection of FM 2641 and CR 1700, according to the Department of Public Safety.
Kristi Diane Hertel, 21, of Lubbock was driving a 2003 Oldsmobile north on County Road 1700, also known as Milwaukee Avenue, about 1:10 p.m. when it collided with an eastbound truck.
Hertel was facing a stop sign, the DPS said. She died at University Medical Center.
Two passengers in the car were injured.
Kristen Hardin, 18, of Shallowater was treated and released from UMC, a hospital spokeswoman said. Matthew Ysasaga, 20, of Lubbock remained Sunday night at UMC in serious condition.
All three people in the car were wearing seat belts.
The truck driver, 43-year-old Rodney Goswick of Woodrow, also suffered injuries. He was being evaluated late Sunday at UMC. Goswick was not wearing his seat belt, the DPS said.

Friend was ripped violently from existence leaving behind a hole in the world.