February 03, 2005
One Year
One year ago this morning, I woke up and checked my e-mail before work like usual. But as early as 6:30 a.m., my day stopped being usual. I read the worst e-mail message I have yet to receive. It was such a shock, I had to have my wife read it, too, and even then we couldn't believe it.
A day later I wrote the following to my coworkers. To date, it's the most coherent summary I think I've come up with for "Mikey."
Friends at [workplace],
As I'm sure you are all aware by now, A. and I lost a very dear friend on Monday night. He was killed in a hit-and-run accident on I-90 during the snowstorm. The best details we have at this time are from here: http://www.nbc5.com/news/2814094/detail.html
Michael Massing was one of the best people we knew - a truly great, funny, warm, compassionate, caring human being who only had 29 years with which to make countless friends. We sometimes joked that he was the 'Golden Retreiver' of our group of friends, because he was always cheerful, always happy to see you and always could make you smile. To know him was to have an instant friend. I'm blessed to have known him for 10 years.
Ok, I don't know what I'm trying to say. I'm at a loss. There is nothing to say. The words don't do anything but mark the day. Mark a day we all wish had never happened.
I'm tired. I'm tired of all of this. We all are.
