"Do you recall any special even which took place on your block or in your neighborhood while you were growing up... deaths, fires, accidents, illnesses, etc.?"
Yes I do.
Okay, I'll answer it!
July 25, 1997 I was walking my 5 year old neighbor back from his home across the street. He was on his bike, bringing it over to my house actually. While we were about to cross the street I point out to him that his father is half a block down about to pull onto the road...
... and then he goes out into the street. I'm too stunned to do anything and I just stand there. A huge red fire truck comes hurtling past.
The fire truck skids to a stops.
My mother is screaming.
I walk across the street, look down the street about 15 yards, and see the little 5 year old's body laying on the pavement with something like a body part beside him.
A fire man gets out of the truck and lays his jacket on top of the boy and body part.
I walk over to my mom. She has peed her pants from the horror that she witnessed. She starts to get hysterical and scream and run at the firemen, along with Taylor's parents who are inconsolable.
I see my two little sisters and take them inside the house to their room. I try to explain what had happened.
Me, "He's dead."
3 year old Madison, "Will he come back to life?"
6 year old Ashly, "Let's say a prayer!"
I can't take it so I leave.
I go outside again. Lots of neighbors and emergency vehicles have arrived. I look across the street and see my now dead 5 year old neighbor's 2 year old sister standing on the porch with no one with her. I go to her, and tried to try to take her to my home, but some woman I never saw before told me not to. So I didn't, and turned and went into their home.
I watched this little girl play. All I could think was, "She doesn't have a brother anymore. Will see even remember him?"
Sometime later, maybe 30 minutes or an hour, my mother finds me. She takes me back to the house, and I don't remember what we did. I think we walked around to the backyard because the front was too crazy.
Later my best friend's mom comes and picks me up to take me to their house, and away from all the madness. At my friend's home we talk a bit about what happened, but mostly play.
I get home after dark, and we watch the news to see what will be reported. One report shows my sister Ashley being held and rocked by my dad (who came home from work early) on our front steps.
Somehow we all went to sleep that night.
