A Sad Memory

While I was at the beach this past weekend, we drove past the Neahkahnie Mountain area on the highway. This always brings back sad memories because my very closest childhood friend, Terry, died there when we were 14. The mountain rises from the beach to the highway (and on up) and is very steep and treacherous. She was at the beach on a family trip, and she and a friend with them decided to climb the mountain from the beach up to the highway. I have no idea why. Anyway, she made a misstep and fell and died on the scene. I was so crushed. I still have a queasy feeling driving past that area and am always glad to get past. I wish I knew what she was thinking when she decided to climb, but the thing about being 14 is that you never think anything bad is going to happen. But, unfortunately, sometimes it does.