Grief T
he grief in the air is heart wrenching. What has happened is a tragedy of huge magnitude. Especially since it has happened to someone like sweet horrible Tracy. And of course, everyone knows Tracy has a heart of gold. Only I know the hardness of that gold. A heart that knows no mercy, a heart that feels no pain. A heart of ruthless gold. As I watch the body being taken away, I feel a stab of pain. Pain I know that Tracy will never feel. Poor Sam. Why had he wasted his love for Tracy, instead of me? He had lived for Tracy and even died because of Tracy. Tracy, Tracy, Tracy. All I can do is watch in numb despair. It had always been like that. Tracy had been the darling of the neighbourhood, and we were best friends. She was calm and composed, gentle and dignified, firm and disciplined. The model daughter, friend and neighbour. I was the stupid sidekick, always overshadowed by Tracy, but I knew I had ten times her force of character. And when we grew up, and met Sam, disaster had struck. I had liked him, and he had liked Tracy. Of course. Who would look at me,
when Tracy was around? I had endured months of pain and agony as I watched him court Tracy. And when the time had come he’d proposed and she’d accepted. It was then that someone sent her proof of Sam’s involvement with undesirable elements. Tracy had been furious. Had I been in Tracy’s place, I wouldn’t have minded. Who cared whether Sam had a less than perfect background? They’d fought bitterly, and I had secretly hoped that Tracy would end it. But she didn’t. Had she done that, Sam would have still been alive. They made up, of course, after Sam convinced her somehow that he was clean. Then they had found drugs in his room. Tracy, perfect Tracy could not be with a junkie. I would have gladly taken her place. But things were not to be. Sam had cried and sworn that he had never taken drugs in his life, that someone had planted them. Jealous colleagues maybe, to ruin his career. It was understandable why he said so. He was so brilliant and amazing; it was natural that others might be jealous. By then, Tracy had started having her doubts. Stupid Tracy. Doubt a man of such stellar character. Sam