The Nerds

In high school we were the nerds. We were a group of friends that were relatively smart, liked to have a good time and were relatively well behaved. We had our stupid high school moments, like Kathryn yelling at the poor lady at a restaurant about some chicken in her salad, Vance letting me drive his mustang, Annika and I with our spider, Heather and my time in Germany, the drive to buy Garth Brooks concert tickets which resulted in a speeding ticket for me and our “Senior Trip” to White Sands. These were the people who I spent hours upon hours with, laughing, learning and just being kids. Many Friday nights spent at Village Inn, the Movies 8 and at all of our homes.

Just 2 years ago the last of my friends from high school got married. I was the first almost 10 years ago and Kathryn was 2 years ago. Two of my dear friends are pregnant right now, adding a fourth and fifth little “nerd” to the group of people. Three of the “nerds” don’t have children, yet. We are all busy living our lives in several different parts of the country and do our best to keep in touch via twice yearly email rounds in which we all update each other on any events that have taken place in our lives. If a significant event has taken place, such as an engagement or pregnancy we update each other immediately. It is exciting to be involved in these peoples lives still after all these years in any way possible. So far, any special update has always been great, wonderful news but unfortunately we all received horribly sad news about a week ago. My dear friend Annika, whom I have known since the 2nd grade has had a horrific event take place. The person who I confided in about a lump I found in my breast in high school and repeatedly urged me to tell my parents. The one whom with I created and performed a play in the second grade and wore matching Esprit sweatshirts in the fourth grade. She was the one friendly face in my classes when I moved back from the three years I spent in Germany. The spider. My dear friend Annika’s mother was in Puerto Rico a few weeks ago on vacation with her husband and was snorkeling. She fainted in the water and was taken to the hospital there in Puerto Rico and was there for several weeks. Last week they transferred her to Fairfax (where they live) and after consulting with several neurologists decided to take her off life support. She passed away Monday morning.

This news has devastated me and cemented me into my “middle-age” status. When I thought we were all doing well, getting married and having babies we are all shook by the event in which all of us know is coming. We all know all of our parents will eventfully pass away, but we are supposed to be quite a bit older than we are now. This kills me for Annika, for her siblings, for her father and for her little unborn baby boy who will never know his grandma “Big Mama.”