Facebook is an amazing thing that revolutionized how we keep in touch. When I moved away from False River in 1990, I kept in touch with a few friends for a while. We wrote letters. I traveled to see the Gators play football and basketball games when they were nearby. I invited myself to parties and attended graduations and Homecomings. False River Academy in my heart has always been home and my classmates were family - no matter how far away or how long we went without talking. When I joined Facebook I found almost my entire class from FRA. I loved it. I still do. I love seeing their kids and hearing about their lives. I love that we all interact with one another as if we see each other regularly. Which I guess virtually, we do.
Facebook is not always full of good news, however, and that is the case today. My friend Melissa Gatlin (who in my mind will forever be Melissa Day) asked for prayers for our classmate Candy Settoon. Candy recently had a baby and due to complications has slipped into a coma. It doesn't look good and her family and friends are hoping for a miracle.
I must admit that I haven't seen nor talked to Candy in close to 20 years. She isn't on Facebook, that I know of. She hasn't been seen in others' photos. I know she is in Baton Rouge. That's most of what I knew, until today.
I also know that Candy and I were good friends as kids and this news hit me like a punch to the gut. I immediately thought about riding three-wheelers in Morganza, harassing cows, and me holding on to Candy for dear life. She always rode as fast and as carelessly as possible. Her brother Eric was always nearby wanting to join us and us being mean, teenage girls, refusing to let him in to our world, would scream and laugh and ride away.
On a trip to Texas once with my family, Candy came along as my guest. We were riding a three-wheeler through the East Texas piney woods, with Candy driving, as fast as possible. We were staying on Lake Sam Rayburn, near the beach. We could hear the waves crashing and just as we hit the fastest speed possible, Candy reached forward and turned off the light. I screamed like a baby and Candy laughed - squealed really - and just said, "Don't worry! I do this all the time!" I thought we would die. Candy knew we wouldn't. Fearless.
We got back to the camp and stole a bag of Oreos from the kitchen and stayed up all night laughing and talking about our friends and school and life, in bunk beds. It's one of my favorite memories from my youth.
I am not the type to pray, but if anyone can get through, it's Candy. She is fearless. And I am hoping for the best with all my heart.
No comments:
Post a Comment