I'll be honest, I had forgotten the exact date, but this morning when I woke up and @bc was showing news footage from 20 years ago, I was instantly transported back...
It was evening. I was folding a blanket, home on Christmas break. I had just gotten home from my holiday job. I had heard the tragic news earlier in the day, of course, but it wasn't until that instant it hit me. Jxxxie was flying home from London that day.
I sat down fast. And did nothing. Just sat there looking at the TV. My brother and his friend came in the room, (I don't know when.) A noticed I was acting strange, asked what was wrong. I repeated for him what I had just realized. "Jxxxie is flying home today."
It was all so very surreal. A and I had just visited Jxxxie for Thanksgiving break. I probably didn't even have my pictures developed yet.
A or his friend grabbed the phonebook and looked up Jxxxie's parents' number. Where do they live? How do you spell the last name? One of her brother's answered. With difficulty A explained I was her friend, he was my brother and I was worried. I remember thinking at the time how odd that my brother the word-aholic couldn't seem to string together a complete sentence as he tried to convey concern while not breaking the news to Br if he didn't know already.
She was fine. She wasn't on the plane. She was ok. Later we learned she HAD been booked on Pam Am 103, but raised a stink over the meal choice. She was put a flight leaving a few minutes later. She came to visit a few days later, and I was able to see she was fine for myself.
That dread came back so immediately this morning, I'm still a little numb. My heart and prayers go out to all those who lost someone that day. Bless you wherever you are, bless us all.
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