n d m ade o u r w ay t o R o s e tt a F a l l s. Th e f un e ra l w ou ld b e he ld at F i r st B a pt ist Ch u r ch wi t h n o g r a ve side s e r v ic e . S h e w a s go i n g t o b e c r e m a t e d a n d h e r a she s th r o wn in th e o c e a n , j u st l i k e s h e as ke d. I w as h a pp y a b o u t t h a t , bu t I w a sn 't h a pp y a bou t t h e f un e ra l. I kne w th at w a s n 't w h at sh e wa nte d, bu t I g ues s th e f a m ily nee d e d i t .
Af t e r th e fi r st f e w s e c on ds o f s il e n c e , I pu ll e d o u t my i Po d a n d s t a r te d l o o k i n g f o r so m eth i n g t o l is te n to . I w as go i n g t o h it r a n d o m, bu t I w a s w o rr i e d s o m eth i n g sh e l i ke d w ou ld c o me on . I f i n a l ly pu t it o n J oh n M a y e r . S h e did n 't r e ally h a t e h im, bu t h e w a s n 't on e o f h e r f a v o r i te s. I d on 't r e a lly r e m e m be r w h at s on g I pu t on , bu t th at w a sn 't i m p o r t a nt . Th e i m po r t a n t th i n g i s t h at I w a sn 't th i nk i n g a b o u t he r .
T h e d r i v e did n 't t a k e a s l on g as th e d r i v e t o Hunt s v i l le do e s. We did n 't m a k e r e c o r d t im e , b u t th e s e c on ds did n 't t u r n i nt o ye a r s as the y on ce h ad. T r af f ic w a s e a s y , w h i ch I ex p e c te d si n ce it w as a l m o st 8 : 30. A r o un d h e r e , t r af f ic i s e v i l at t wo t im e s: 7 : 3 0 a m a n d 5 : 3 0 p m. A n y ot h e r t i me i t ' s t o l e r a b l e . S t r a nge ly en o ugh , th e on e t ime y o u D O N OT w a n t t o b e o n th e r o ad is bet w e e n m id n i gh t a n d 2 am. T h e r e a r e ve ry f e w c a r s ou t o n t h e s t r e e t s, i n c l u di n g th e i nte r s t a te . An a c c id e n t ( o f a n y s iz e ) c ou ld v e r y w e ll l e a v e yo u d e ad. A ls o , ma n y g uy s li k e t o f l o o r it a n d s e e j u st ho w f a st th e y c a n go . M a n y h a v e di e d o n I - 5 65 l on g be f o r e th e s u n c a me up . De a t h see m e d t o b e e v e r y w he r e I tu r n e d.
Mo m h ad di e d t h e s a me w a y . F r o m w h at the y to ld m e , s h e w as h it b y a “c r azy teen ” w h o c ou ld n 't t a k e h is f o o t o ff th e g a s. H e l o st c ont r o l j u st be f o r e t h e y g o t t o th e Tenne ss e e Ri v e r Bridge a n d tot al e d f o u r c a r s. H e w a s in IC U at th e m o m ent . D ad h ad m ent i on e d s u i ng , bu t I w a sn 't ho ldi n g my b r e a t h o n th at one .
Th is h ad aff e c t e d D ad i n th e s t r a n g e st w a y , w h a t e ve r w ay it w as. I c ou ld n 't te ll. H e s ee m e d t o b e d e s t r o ye d b y i t , d r i ve n t o a ng e r a n d r e m o r s e . B u t a t th e s ame t i me h e see m e d c a lm a n d c o ll e c te d. I did n 't kno w i f h e w a s j u st putt i n g u p a s t r o n g f a ce f o r m e , o r if th i s r e a l ly h ad n 't h ad a n y e f f e ct o n h im. B u t m a yb e h e w as su ff e r i ng , s u ff e r i n g so m u ch h e j u st did n 't w a n t t h e p a in t o c on t i n u e . H e j u st w a nte d it t o p a s s.
We pu l l e d i nt o th e p ar k i n g l o t a f e w m i nu t e s be f o r e v i si t a t i o n , w h ich w a s a n ho u r be f o r e t h e s e r v ic e . Peop le w e r e w ai t i n g o n u s. We p ar ke d a n d w a l ke d t o th e f r on t d o o r s. D ad kne w I 'd h a v e l e ft a s soo n a s po s s i b le if I 'd d r i ven , thu s I w as s tu ck w i t h h im.
We w e re bo m b a r d e d wi t h hug s w he n we g o t t o t h e d o o r . Th e he a r se h ad a l r e ady b r o u gh t th e bo dy w h i ch h ad ye t t o b e c r e m a t e d. Th e c hu r ch w a s l a r g e , th e la r ge st in R o s ett a F a l l s. I t w a s l i k e a s e r i e s o f sq u ar e s a ll bu ilt tog e th e r . A s the y a dd e d on , th e c h u r ch to o k u p m o r e a n d m o r e r oo m. I t w as c on f us i n g a s c ou ld be . Y ou 'd h a v e on e bu ildi n g th at h ad th r e e fl o o r s, a noth e r th at h ad
Af t e r th e fi r st f e w s e c on ds o f s il e n c e , I pu ll e d o u t my i Po d a n d s t a r te d l o o k i n g f o r so m eth i n g t o l is te n to . I w as go i n g t o h it r a n d o m, bu t I w a s w o rr i e d s o m eth i n g sh e l i ke d w ou ld c o me on . I f i n a l ly pu t it o n J oh n M a y e r . S h e did n 't r e ally h a t e h im, bu t h e w a s n 't on e o f h e r f a v o r i te s. I d on 't r e a lly r e m e m be r w h at s on g I pu t on , bu t th at w a sn 't i m p o r t a nt . Th e i m po r t a n t th i n g i s t h at I w a sn 't th i nk i n g a b o u t he r .
T h e d r i v e did n 't t a k e a s l on g as th e d r i v e t o Hunt s v i l le do e s. We did n 't m a k e r e c o r d t im e , b u t th e s e c on ds did n 't t u r n i nt o ye a r s as the y on ce h ad. T r af f ic w a s e a s y , w h i ch I ex p e c te d si n ce it w as a l m o st 8 : 30. A r o un d h e r e , t r af f ic i s e v i l at t wo t im e s: 7 : 3 0 a m a n d 5 : 3 0 p m. A n y ot h e r t i me i t ' s t o l e r a b l e . S t r a nge ly en o ugh , th e on e t ime y o u D O N OT w a n t t o b e o n th e r o ad is bet w e e n m id n i gh t a n d 2 am. T h e r e a r e ve ry f e w c a r s ou t o n t h e s t r e e t s, i n c l u di n g th e i nte r s t a te . An a c c id e n t ( o f a n y s iz e ) c ou ld v e r y w e ll l e a v e yo u d e ad. A ls o , ma n y g uy s li k e t o f l o o r it a n d s e e j u st ho w f a st th e y c a n go . M a n y h a v e di e d o n I - 5 65 l on g be f o r e th e s u n c a me up . De a t h see m e d t o b e e v e r y w he r e I tu r n e d.
Mo m h ad di e d t h e s a me w a y . F r o m w h at the y to ld m e , s h e w as h it b y a “c r azy teen ” w h o c ou ld n 't t a k e h is f o o t o ff th e g a s. H e l o st c ont r o l j u st be f o r e t h e y g o t t o th e Tenne ss e e Ri v e r Bridge a n d tot al e d f o u r c a r s. H e w a s in IC U at th e m o m ent . D ad h ad m ent i on e d s u i ng , bu t I w a sn 't ho ldi n g my b r e a t h o n th at one .
Th is h ad aff e c t e d D ad i n th e s t r a n g e st w a y , w h a t e ve r w ay it w as. I c ou ld n 't te ll. H e s ee m e d t o b e d e s t r o ye d b y i t , d r i ve n t o a ng e r a n d r e m o r s e . B u t a t th e s ame t i me h e see m e d c a lm a n d c o ll e c te d. I did n 't kno w i f h e w a s j u st putt i n g u p a s t r o n g f a ce f o r m e , o r if th i s r e a l ly h ad n 't h ad a n y e f f e ct o n h im. B u t m a yb e h e w as su ff e r i ng , s u ff e r i n g so m u ch h e j u st did n 't w a n t t h e p a in t o c on t i n u e . H e j u st w a nte d it t o p a s s.
We pu l l e d i nt o th e p ar k i n g l o t a f e w m i nu t e s be f o r e v i si t a t i o n , w h ich w a s a n ho u r be f o r e t h e s e r v ic e . Peop le w e r e w ai t i n g o n u s. We p ar ke d a n d w a l ke d t o th e f r on t d o o r s. D ad kne w I 'd h a v e l e ft a s soo n a s po s s i b le if I 'd d r i ven , thu s I w as s tu ck w i t h h im.
We w e re bo m b a r d e d wi t h hug s w he n we g o t t o t h e d o o r . Th e he a r se h ad a l r e ady b r o u gh t th e bo dy w h i ch h ad ye t t o b e c r e m a t e d. Th e c hu r ch w a s l a r g e , th e la r ge st in R o s ett a F a l l s. I t w a s l i k e a s e r i e s o f sq u ar e s a ll bu ilt tog e th e r . A s the y a dd e d on , th e c h u r ch to o k u p m o r e a n d m o r e r oo m. I t w as c on f us i n g a s c ou ld be . Y ou 'd h a v e on e bu ildi n g th at h ad th r e e fl o o r s, a noth e r th at h ad
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