A chance meeting...

It's funny when you run into someone from your past very unexpectedly. While "camping out" at my sister's place of employment, an old high school chum walked in. I hadn't seen him in several years. In fact, this is the same chum I've written about before - the one who was spreading rumors about my family, especially about my brother and sister - the one who I decided wasn't a good friend. I always thought if I saw him again I'd still have a grudge, but apparently time does heal all and I was able to chat with him about several other classmates without any antipathy. Of course, he's an inveterate gossip so I knew to take everything with a grain of salt. If it's juicy, he'd spread it around, even if it wasn't the truth. Maybe he's changed. I don't know. I do know that he seemed...older, more mature. That's a good thing.

So, anyhow, I discovered that another old friend - my best friend from elementary school and with whom I haven't spoken in many years (her choice) - had her baby. She was clinically depressed for quite awhile after several miscarriages. She equated a successful marriage as having children, but her medical conditions almost guaranteed NO BABIES. When I had heard she was expecting, I sent her a note of congratulations. I struggled with that decision after so many years of her silence, but for me it was a kind of closure. It was my "goodbye, may you be happy in life" wish. It's a bittersweet goodbye. We had always sworn that we'd be there for each other and now we don't even talk anymore. The innocence of youth can never conceive of the realities of adulthood. So, I close that chapter with a sad smile at the memories and move on with my life.

We caught up on several different people from our pasts, learning who is engaged, who has children, etc. Eventually we move on to the topic of this old chum's brother, who works for the county Sheriff's office. The brother, Ethan, was apparently part of the chase that killed my good friend's brother last year. My mind sharpened at this and, attempting to not display much emotion, I went to work questioning him in a subtle fashion. My mother, listening in to most of our conversation, wasn't quite as subtle and showed our hand before I could really get into some nitty gritty. You see, it's our belief and the belief of my good friend's family, that the accident was caused by one of the county deputies. However, it's unproven because the video that was taping the chase was suspiciously blank during the minutes immediately prior to and during the crash. We've been told by people in high places that one of the deputies deliberately bumped the vehicle. I understand that method to stop a chase, but I think it was poor judgement when it was done on a freshly graveled road. The counties around here are cheap and usually use giant chunks of gravel, rather than a more finely chopped content. I've lost control of my truck on that same road when only going 20 mph. Can you imagine what it was like at 85 mph and then getting "bumped"??? Also, the county office refused to speak with the family and even prevented them from going through with organ donation. Not only was Matt's life a wasted death, but the family couldn't even find solace in giving life to someone else with organ donation. Anyhow, we didn't get much more information from the old chum and Mom couldn't take it any longer anyway. She's despised him ever since the rumors he was spreading. I still don't consider him a friend, but I would have liked to get more information out of him before he became cautious.