White Fingersocks and Quiet Goodbyes
I’ve been listening to “ Frangipani ” by Kaber Vasuki lately—a song that aches with the weight of grief. It speaks of losing a friend too soon, and something about the rawness in his voice made me feel like I was living his pain. But it also stirred something personal. A memory. A friend I lost along the way. We hadn’t been in touch when it happened. Life had taken us in different directions. But the news hit me like a wave I never saw coming. And I don’t think I’ll ever truly get over it. I still remember the first time I heard your voice. We were just kids, sitting in a strange room after writing the entrance exam for our new school. I was nervous, ready to burst out the moment we were allowed to leave. You were cracking jokes, showing off your white fingersocks to the kids around you. Somehow, you made that unfamiliar place feel less intimidating. Later, in the orientation class—where I was the only girl—you were there again, being silly, making me feel like I wasn’t so alone. We we...