gabriel's return
gabriel six months earlier
san francisco
april, 2006

...it's 12:31 pm. march 2. 2007.

it's hard to breath sometimes as the pulse races. or do i just forget to?

the subject line reads "on the road boy"

"i know the boy... he never made it through the year"

...it's 5:59 pm. april 24. 2006. should it be this cold?

he's sitting on the corner. like it's his. he's panhandling.

waiting for a friend to bring back food.

i sit beside him.

as people pass, he's always noticed. some stop. some continue.

we talk about the road. about home. about life. about girls.

he's gentler than you'd think. more interested in things you say. and he cares more too.

he's not sure what's next; but says now's good.

his friend returns.

...it's october 17. 2006.

it's his gun.

it's his choice.

farewell.

gabriel joshua wolrab, may 3, 1985 - october 17, 2006.

for his mother, his sisters, his brothers, his friends.