Creating the perfect memory of someone is hard especially when you haven't seen that person for so long. Memories fade and are forgotten on the long run. But some memories stay with you forever and dig deep into your heart. Those kinds of memories will never be taken away from you.
I once had a friend who was one of the closest that I had. We were always together and did almost all things together. We even shared our secrets with each other! We loved each other like a brother and a sister would. But something happened that changed it all.
He died when we were still in elementary. He died on the summer of April 2005.
Poor Dick…
He was such a good kid…
Many of our classmates, teachers and those who knew him and his family went to his wake. It's funny how we were so close yet; it was the first time I met almost all of his relatives including his mom and dad.
His mom and dad just arrived from London. They work there, and left their children here in the Philippines in the care of their grandparents and other relatives.
After the mass, his mom came to us. She was at first shy because she just recovered from a sickness that covered her face with small red dots- as scars. They hurriedly came back when they learned about their misfortune.
I personally didn't know the story of his death because it was just after recognition and everyone else were busy with their own vacation.
With that as the case, she offered to tell us how he died. Her story went like this.
Dick and his relatives went to Manila for their vacation. They went to a resort and spent hours lounging in the pool. Even though his relatives were there, it didn't stop the accident from happening.
His relatives were busy when he suddenly slipped and drowned. Apparently, people stepped on his body and eventually he died.
In the morgue, they saw bruises all over his body, especially his chest. They're guess was, people must have stepped on him unexpectedly.
His mother cried after she told us what really happened. She also mentioned that she could identify his (Dick) friends, because we would stop and cry when we pass by his coffin. Upon hearing that, I looked around and saw his brothers and sisters still traumatized at what happened. Dick was their ultimate favorite, the youngest among them; they loved him like no other. His dad said nothing more but good stuffs about him, how he was as a son and as a brother.
The day of his funeral came. We walked to the cemetery all dressed in white. His family had been crying ever since we left the church.
In the coffin, as I have observed, they've put his favorite toys: small guitar, piano, his phone, and some other things that I can't remember.
Someone texted him! His phone rang. I thought then that maybe it was a prank. But after thinking about it for a few minutes, I guess someone sent him a last message. Perhaps to tell him, how much he/she loved him.
We said our goodbyes and laid our flowers. I remember the flower I had held in my hand. It resembled a carnation flower but it was yellow which held my curiosity for a brief moment.
As the coffin was pushed inside, his family couldn't stop wailing about how they miss him and why this happened to their family and especially, why Dick? His sister got it hard. She fainted as the coffin was being pushed inside. It's a good thing that one of his brothers was there to help her.
After graduation, I went to his grave and visited him, talked to him about all sorts of things and how we missed him terribly. I also told him I really wished that he would have graduated with us. I had a lot of fun talking to him, even if he replied no more.
That was not the first time I visited him. The first time was with my classmates. We visited him on his birthday, then on his death anniversary. His relatives were there. Like us, they brought flowers and candles and offered prayers for him. They caught us there. O.o It was rather embarrassing.
After that, we haven't seen them again. We later learned that their whole family moved to London. This past month, I saw them on a social networking site called Facebook. I guess their parents would not risk losing a child again.
His death caused a major change to the people who knew him. I realized that time on Earth is short, and we must try our best to do good to other people and to make every moment special.
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