“When you can tell your story and it doesn’t make you cry, you know you have healed.”

Forty-five years ago this evening our best friend, Mike Wagner, was driving home from work. I wonder if he saw a sunset that looked about like this one.

Just six days after his 23rd birthday in 1969, Mike died. Driving from work on Monday, October 13th, he was a half-block from home, turning left into his neighborhood, when the person driving behind him decided to pass. I guess she was unaware that passing at a T-intersection was illegal. Eight-hours later, in the local hospital, Mike died.

If a crystal vase were dropped from our table to the tile floor, the shattered pieces would fly everywhere. In a similar way, Mike's death shattered the world of his young wife, his two-year-old son, his extended family, and his numerous friends. Nothing could put all their lives back together again in the way they had been before that awful moment.

When I first met Mike Wagner he was a goober, a geek, a nerd, and possibly the nicest guy I have ever known.

When Mike was a young adolescent, his family moved into the neighborhood across the street from Mr. Fun. Quickly both boys discovered they loved cars and 10-speed bicycles and girls. One was as serious and studious as could be and the other, well the other ultimately became Mr. Fun. They spent hours together riding bicycles to the city of Pomona where Mike had lived. They spent hours building model race cars. They spent hours at the sports car races. When I married Mr. Fun, I married into the relationship. I counted Mike's friendship as one of the better wedding gifts I received. He became like a brother.

Often when we are at Crestlawn Cemetery, we stop at Mike’s grave; it is the saddest place in the cemetery.

Today I found a shard of crystal -- razor sharp, drawing blood instantly with its painful memory -- but also tossing rainbow light sparkles in every direction. We haven't forgotten Mike. We haven't stopped missing him. All throughout this day we have conversed and reminscinced about our friend Mike Wagner. Today we have celebrated Mike's life and are so thankful for the friendship we had with him.

“When you can tell your story and it doesn’t make you cry, you know you have healed.”

And we still cry.

Good night from Southern California,
Rosie (& Mr. Fun), aka Carol