Thursday, February 12, 2009

Comedy and Tragedy

After weeks of trying to calm myself down and convince myself that it was a good thing that I'm about to be forced to search for a new job and home with a bank balance leaning frighteninly into the negatives, today I found out that I will not have to leave so soon after all. It's always such a weird feeling when you've worked hard to accept a reality, only to have it pulled out from under you like a magic tablecloth. So dear blog friends, it looks like you will be able to continue vicariously living small-town reporter life through yours truly for a little while longer. So that's the funny.

Unfortunately, the only reason I know this is because one of my co-workers wanted to cheer me up. Last night I found out that a girl I went to high school with was killed in a hit and run. She and her boyfriend had just been out for dinner where he apparently proposed to her and they were walking home when they were struck by a drunk 18 year old driving an SUV.

She wasn't one of my best friends, and I don't think I had seen or talked to her since high school, where she was a couple of years ahead of me. But we were in a couple of plays together, and hung out with the same crowd. And I remember when I'd talk in this annoying gremlin voice I used to do all the time, she'd laugh and talk to me in her own gremlin voice. She was sweet and stylish and kind of weird and i liked her.

I read that she was hoping to be a social worker and called herself a femininja. Her fiance was a doctor. Now, instead of planning a wedding, their families are planning two funerals. I guess I don't need to point out the tragedy.

13 comments:

Leanne said...

Good on the job front, horrible about the girl you knew.

It's so sad, and unfortunately happens so often in small towns. There are far too many people I've known who have suffered similar fates. Sadder still, it seems as though people never learn from these horrible mistakes.

j.wi said...

that is really sad.

quarter-life lady. said...

That's so sad. Life is so precious. It's hard to make sense of this kind of stuff.

Anonymous said...

*hug*

Anonymous said...

Wow. That's an incredibly sad story. Sorry for your loss.

sarahdotcom said...

Oh goodness.

That is devastating.

:(

Sarah said...

Thanks for the comments, ladies. I really appreciate them. This is just one of those things that's hard to wrap your head around. Sometimes I think I just write this stuff down to try to make it into a story instead of something real.

Mari said...

I am sorry for your loss, what a horrific tragedy. I am happy you will continue to receive a paycheck, however.

Andhari said...

im sorry for your loss. how sad, really.

Anonymous said...

Tragedy is the hardest thing to make sense of. When they are young, full of direction and life. It's so hard. It makes you stop and think about life for sure. I'm sorry that life sent something like this your way.

Felicia|DaLipstickBandit said...

horrible..

Jamie Lovely said...

This is awful :(

Laurie Stark said...

It's weird how a story like that can make me cry, not even knowing the people. I'm sorry for your loss, tangential as it may be. It's always hard to hear of the death of someone you've known, especially when they were so young.

But congratulations on the job front, if that's the right sentiment.