I had a good friend once, like we all do in High school. We had way too much fun together. More than my mama and her grandma would have liked. We were from different town's. I'm not real sure how we met. I was dating someone Gleason Tennessee and thats where she lived and Gleason wasn't really very far up the road. We became fast friends one summer. I always thought she was so pretty. She had the "good hair". Everyone knows someone with the "good hair". Not a stran out of place. She was kind and sweet.
We went to Florida one summer with her grandparents. We had a great trip and it was so much fun. It was the first time that I had ever been that far away from my parents. We were in Florida for 2 weeks. Man, did we have a ball. The biggest memory of that trip was that her grandfather had a heart attack while we were there and was unable to drive us home. Well I had my brand spanking new paper license. That's what they used to give you back then. It was all folded up and ready to use. Her Grandpa had big ol Poniac Bonniville before they were small. Green in Color and drove like a boat. You see my friend didn't have her license yet. Her big 16 had not arrived.
So her Grandma informed me I would be driving home. Now, I called my mama and I'm sure she about crapped. She didn't say anything other than "be careful". So we set out on our way home. My mom and her Grandma said to stop. She and I "not stopping". Two teenage girls drove all night from St. Augustine, Florida to Gleason, Tennessee. We stopped maybe twice. We went through a road block in Valdosta, Georgia and the policeman ask to see my license. You know, I pulled that big sheet of paper out. Proud as can be. He looked in the back seat and saw her Grandparents asleep. He said " how far do you girls have to go". I was really serious when I said "Sir I'm not sure but I'm supposed to pull into a truckstop when I get to the Georgia/Tennessee state line and my daddy is going to tell me where to go from there". He said "be careful girls and don't stop for anyone". Now, don't you know he thought "what the hell kinda parents do they have". We trudged happily on.
We made it home in one piece and her Grandfather was much better. Like all or some high school friendships we grew apart. I talked to her several years later and when I ask about her Grandmother she informed me that she had died of a massive heart attack. She took this very hard. She was raised by her grandparents and if she had parents I never met them and she didn't talk about them. Her Grandfather died later and it seemed she was all alone. She married the guy she was goo goo over in high school after that. I didn't like him much then and now I don't really remember why. I didn't talk to her for several more years. She Divorced and worked and lived just like we all do.
I would talk to her every few years or run into her at the grocery story when we were home to visit. I used to tease her that she still that that "good hair". She would laugh and ask about my kids and what was going on and I'd do the same. She would ask when I was returning home and I'd tell her and she would say " well come see me before you go". I'd say ok, but I never did.
Fast forward to last Saturday, I was working but wasn't really busy so I logged up my email. With that popped out a chat box from Yahoo. I don't ever really chat. I saw the box pop up and it was her. She was checking her email when I came online. We chatted briefly. She was telling me how school had started and she liked her job at the school in Mckenzie where she was a teachers aide. We talked about the weather and she ask about my parents. We even joked about that long ago trip we took. We talked about her grandma and how I missed living in a small town and she said "well I have to run, next time your home COME AND SEE ME". Again I said "I'll try but you know its just hard to get around to everyone. I usually fly in and out quick." She laughed and said " I wish I could fly out".
We said goodbye and I went back to work.
On Tuesday I was reading my local paper from home online. One headline caught my eye. Gleason Couple Killed in Apparent Murder Sucide. I of course went to the page to click as I know lots of people from there. I was shocked to learn that sometime on Sunday the police were called to Devnee Reene Reeder's house. Her boyfriends brother had found her and her boyfriend dead from gunshot wounds.
As, I sit here and write this I'm tearful. I remember that beautiful girl who had the "good hair" in high school. The friend that I spent so much time with and had so much fun with. This person whom I had known so well but failed to keep in touch with. She was now no longer with us.
There is no moral or happy ending to this story. I sit here and think how Blessed I am to have healthy children. A good marriage, a nice house, a job, and my life has turned out really well. I have the same worries that everyone else does. The bills pile up, Mary Hannah is in college making her own decisions. So far she's doing well. Rennee will never have anymore worries. Her life was cut very short by a selfish person. I just simply can not wrap my head around this.
Renee had her own issues ... gosh don't we all. She alawys was ready to strike up a converstation and go right back to when we were 16 again. I'm so sorry that her life is over and I'm so sorry I never took her up on her offer to come over sometime and see her home. I'm so sorry she did not reach out to me. Not sure what I would have done but I'd have tried. I'm so sorry that I didn't pay more attention when I would see her out and about during my visits. Most of all I'm sorry I am unable to attend her funeral. I posted some pictures I had of her. These pictures were taken in Florida on that "great" trip. One was taken in my parents front yard under her favorite big tree.
R.I.P
Devnee "Reene" Reeder
Renee Reeder and Denna Branson
No comments:
Post a Comment