Quiet

I’ve known Alice for about 20 years now, I guess. I’m still in shock at what happened.

I’m going to share something about Alice that might surprise a lot of you. Alice had a quiet side.

She and I used to lay out in her back yard during the summer months. I’m not sure which one of us loved the sun the most, but we would be out there any time the two of us didn’t have to work. Usually, the conversation was non-stop. I’m a talker myself. And, well, you all know Alice.

But some days were different. Some days she was quiet. She wouldn’t share details, but I could always tell it had to do with one of her friends that were going through a tough time. She really cared a lot; she felt it physically. I eventually learned to just let her think and not pry. She would say things like “it’s someone making bad decisions” or “worried about a friend” when questioned, but I could tell it was always something she wanted to carry instead of something she wanted to share.

So, if you ever shared anything with Alice, you can be certain she cared – maybe even too much. That’s the kind of friend she was.

(This is part 17 of 26 of the story What Happened to Alice. To see the full listing click here.)