Dr. Phil

‘What do you mean?! What happened?’
I had called the number that he had left me on the answering machine. He explained to me that he was in a head on collision when he was driving back from the train station, after dropping me off. My heart sank. Daniel was finding it hard to talk without his voice breaking.
‘The paramedics said that he wouldn’t have felt a thing. He died instantly.’
‘I… I just don’t know what to say… I’m so sorry.’
‘Yeah’
We were silent for about two minutes. I was taking in what he had just told me and I’m sure Daniel was thinking about the tragedy of having outgrown his own son, something that he was going to have to live with for the rest of his life. All I could do was apologies again and again, more to myself then to Daniel.
‘We’re holding his funeral in three days time if you wanted to be there.’
‘Yes of course. Is… there anything…anything I can do to help out?’
‘No we will be ok, but thank you for your offer. The funeral will be at the monk house on clive street at one pm. We will hopefully see you then’.

If you suffer from insomnia and have a bad nights sleep you may get a couple of hours of shuteye. I didn’t sleep a wink that night. Time slowed to a standstill and that night felt like an eternity.

I called work to tell them that I would be taking personal leave for a week. I called Samantha to tell her what happened at five past eight in the morning knowing that she would have just turned on her computer at work.
‘Are you OK?’
‘Um, I think so. I didn’t really sleep well last night but yeah I’ll be ok. The funeral is on Friday so I’ll need to go back there.’
‘Did you want me to come with you?’
Typically I would have said no but I couldn’t go to my friend’s funeral without support. I never met any of his friends or family. We originally met at chess club and we only ever hung out by ourselves. He never got to know my friends nor did I with his friends. It was one of those relationships where we both knew our mutual friends would never get along. It was never spoken about but we both knew this. He used to live in the city here but had recently moved back to be closer to his parents, his mother being chronically ill.
‘Yes, that would be… very nice of you if you could do that.’
‘Of course, of course. I’ll organise the plane fairs for you if you wish.’
‘That would be great. Thank you so much Samantha. I really do appreciate it.’
‘Shh, don’t mention it. Did you want me to come over tonight after work.’
‘Sure, if you like.’
‘I do.’

I sat at home watching daytime television for the rest of the day waiting for Samantha to come home after work. Dr. Phil didn’t help matters.

She was very careful around me when she got home. She was affectionate but let me have my space when needed. Caring but not over bearing, which was what I needed at this point of time. She stayed at my place for the two nights before the funeral. I didn’t say much during that time.