Nine Years Ago Today, He Flew By.

2002 was a year of shit. 


a Queen died.
there was an oil spill. 
dwarfed planets were discovered. 
the No Child Left Behind Act, was signed and passed by President Bush Jr.
a journalist was killed.
churches were besieged.

wars began.
our country was desperate to recover from 9-11.

and although i remember those things happening, that's not what i think of when the year 2002 comes up in conversation.
i think of my 16 year-old neighbor. 


i remember how surreal it was when mom came out into the dinning room, completely drenched from her shower.
my seven-year-old self saw the ghost in her eyes. 


"tony died."


the next few minutes happened in slow motion. 
andrew took off his computer headphones.
we both slid out of our chairs. 


dead? no one had ever died before.
we didn't know anyone that was dead. 


that was so absolute. 
i'd never see him again. 


from then on, my memory of my beloved neighbor and near brother was completely clouded and replaced with memories of his death. 


i don't remember much about him. 
just that he'd call me Alimony. 
he'd sing to me. 


the last time i saw him he was working on his dirt bike. 
andrew and i had just gotten into an argument, so i was going to their house to calm down and play with brittany.
i walked up to the driveway, stopped next to tony and his dirt bike. 


"hey tony."
"hey alimony. whats up? you okay?" 
"yeah, andrew was being mean to me." 
"oh, i'm sorry. you should go back home and beat him up or something."
"nah, i just want to play with britt." 
"alright kiddo." 


he kissed my head and ruffled my hair, and walked back into the garage.


and i never saw him again. 


i have very few vivid memories of him. 
i remember him learning how to drive.
i remember him doing his homework at my house. 
i remember him coming home from work, and janice yelling at him to get into the shower because he was dirty. 


but that's about it. 


i trust that tony is being taken care of.
i know that tony is in heaven praying for us. 
i know tony's proud of me. 


"so when you look up, up to the sky
i hope you gave a wave and a kiss as i flew by."


i love and miss you tony, 
alessondra marie