What a Waste

On Valentine's Day, 2020, Ms. B. and I were going out to dinner when a very
impaired young fellow named Austin Mabry smashed into my car while we were
sitting at a stoplight. He was immediately arrested on the scene, and I was
called to be a witness at his court appearance. He didn't show up. Since then, he has apparently faced numerous other drug-related charges,
and the local police have been looking for him for a while. A short time
ago, they found him dead in the crawlspace under a building not far from
here. Doesn't sound like foul play; I suspect an overdose. By all indications, he was the consummate waste of flesh. Still, I can't
help but find it tragic for someone that young to be so fucked up. And now
gone. Of course, this shit happens every day, but having experienced this
kid up close and personal, that twinge of sadness isn't so abstract. He
wasn't really a "kid," but for me, it's hard to think of him
otherwise. February 14, 2020: A Smashing Valentine's Day