December 5th

I have a knack for remembering dates. I remember people's birthdays forever. I remember certain unimportant dates like when my prom was held (April 27, 1991) and the day I had my wisdom teeth removed (December 20, 1990). Things like that just stick in my head.

Today is December 5th. Today is Leah's birthday.

Leah was a friend of mine in elementary school. I remember being so jealous of her. She was beautiful, with blue eyes and gorgeous blond hair. She had the popular boy as her "boyfriend". She was rich. She had it all.

I was invited to the party celebrating her 8th birthday. I remember having drinks we called "suicides", which were nothing more than two different sodas mixed together (I had Coke with Mountain Dew.) It was a great party. I was so excited to be there!

Her house was amazing. She had an enormous bedroom with her own bathroom and a walk-in closet that was bigger than my own bedroom at the time. It was decorated in bright green and pink. She had all the Hello Kitty stuff you could imagine. Leah was so cool.

Ten days after that party, on December 15, 1980, Leah was killed. She was knocked down by the open car door of her mom's Nissan 280Z when her mom's foot slipped off the brake. Leah was run over by the car.

I remember our second grade teacher, Mrs. Phillips, tearfully cleaning out the contents of Leah's desk. Most everyone got to check out of school that day, but I had to stay because my mom worked. Mom picked me up and I told her what happened. Mom was in charge of making the little stockings for our Christmas party. All she could say was, "Beth, are you sure? But I just sewed her stocking last night!" I know she was in shock. She was friends with Leah's parents.

My mom let me attend the funeral. She says she was criticized for taking me, but I'm glad she did. It help me process the whole thing.

Every December 5th I remember Leah's birthday. I calculate how old she would be today (34) and wonder what she would look like. To me she'll always be the smiling, blonde, blue-eyed girl in the monogrammed sweater from her second grade picture.

Happy Birthday, Leah.