Final Farewell

When I was in my mid 20s I attended a business school in New York where I had a dear friend in my class by the name of Doreen whom I was very close to. Doreen was young and single and most of all beautiful. We got along like sisters. During that time, I was married and was about six months pregnant and often times Doreen along with my other friends would give me snacks in class to curb my cravings for food.

However, after graduation, I stopped keeping in touch with my classmates because I was way too busy with my new baby and my husband and it seems like I had time for no one else.

I have worked at many jobs and one in particular was in midtown Manhattan around Lexington Avenue. It was a hot summer day and I decided to take a walk during my lunch hour and lo and behold there was Doreen coming out of one of the buildings a few blocks from my job. At first Doreen looked a bit faded but I did not think much of it. I thought my vision was poor. I smiled with Doreen while my jaw dropped in shock to see her. It was indeed a joyous moment to see my dear friend Doreen after such a long time. She ran up to me and we held each other and hugged tightly and I told her that I miss her and that it was good to see her again after a long time. I told her about the rumors I heard about some of our other friends passing away and she asked me about work.

Doreen was now walking with me back to my job and we were talking on the street. One woman who was walking on the street stopped and asked me who I was talking to and I told her that I was talking to my friend and she told me that there was no one there. I looked at Doreen and told her that the woman needs to mind her own business and how could she ask me such a thing. Doreen looked embarrassed. The stranger left. Doreen and I talked about our families and I asked her if she ever got married and she said that she was married, has a son and was living with her mom. She gave me her mom's phone number and I gave her my number before we departed.

A few days later, I called the phone number that Doreen gave me and her mother answered the phone. She asked me how I got her number I told her Doreen gave me her number a few days ago to call her and she asked me my name and when I told her she said Doreen always talked about me. Her mother started crying and screaming loudly and I asked her what was the matter and she told me that Doreen has died a month ago. Doreen's mom and was grieving all over again and she could not speak anymore. She gave her son the phone to talk to me and I could still hear the mom crying loudly in the background for Doreen. Upon learning of Doreen's death, I was in deep shock and grieving for Doreen myself even though I have seen and talked with her a few days ago. I guess Doreen wanted me to know that she died and that was her way of saying goodbye to me.