-said by Gregg Levoy
(Picture taken summer 2008. Please disregard the hand gesture.)
The ending is really the only part that remains clear in my mind. Beginning with the bus ride to school, my mother and I were debating with everyone we encountered about the event scheduled to take place that day, the euthanization of Dwight Isaak Shaver. He had broken a school rule; spitting on a fellow classmate.
It took us forever to actually reach the school. Upon entering the school, a constant, low, roaring hum washed over us. Like a recent celebrity break up, it was the subject of gossip in every clique. They didn’t treat it like what it was, but an entertaining, and well deserved event.
I found my little brother in the halls, and I wanted nothing more than to just cling to him. He kept chuckling, and brushing me off, telling me he was okay. It’s like the entire time he was so calm, just accepting of his fate. Then when the time came that they wanted to do the horrific deed, Mother and I had to say our good-byes. Hugging him as tightly as possible and soaking his shoulder in tears, I reminded him how much I loved him. And what shook me to my core, was that he gave me a real hug back, a rarity between us.
Upon waking, I discovered it was only a dream. But a dream intense enough to bring on a raging headache. I ran into his room only to find his bed empty. My mother saw me in a state of panic, and called me into her room. I told her what had happened, and after calming me down, she informed me he was sleeping at his friend Kevin’s. My mind wouldn’t rest, so at 7:30 in the morning, I called Ike, desperately hoping he would answer. He didn’t, but he did return the call.
Laying in bed, eyes burning, and face sticking to a soaked pillow, I tried my hardest to revisit my fondest memories in hopes of easing the devastated, empty feeling in the pit of my gut.
Just a Body In a Room 