Day is done, gone the sun...

Saturday, July 16, 2005

I have another blog. An anonymous blog. On a different blogging site. But I've been thinking about going public. Outing myself, so to speak. I still have my other blog (it's like my own little binary confessional) but this will be for a different purpose. I have not yet decided on that purpose so you get to figure that out right along with me. Lucky you.

If I were in a less somber mood I might write something funny or witty. I have neither capacity at the moment. I'm still in a fog. You see, I lost a friend the other night. His name was Kevin Patrick Blount and he was a Deputy for the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department. He was a helicopter pilot trainee and, on Wednesday, July 13, he and an observer trainee went up with an experienced pilot. Something went wrong with the mechanics of a rotor and they lost control over a crowded lake near where I live. They could have landed in the lake and probably survived but there were many people out that evening who could have been killed. Instead, they heroically veered into the hill and tumbled down. Kevin and the pilot were killed during the roll. The other passenger is in critical condition.

I met Kevin when I was 17 and we worked, along with his mom, at a retirement facility. His whole life he wanted to work for the Sheriff's Department. Despite some people's goal to get a detective-desk-job-type, he wanted to work patrol. Not only that, he wanted to be a K-9 officer and he wanted to fly the department helicopter. He was one of the good ones. One of the guys you want on your team, backing you up. He had always been a good friend to me, he loved his family and I can only imagine the pain they're experiencing.

I still can't quite believe that Kevin is gone. I can hear his voice and his laugh. I can see the mischievious glint in his eyes when making jokes and a sparkle when talking about his dreams. It doesn't seem possible that those things are no more.

Kevin Patrick Blount was born December 7, 1975. He was two months older than I. He was wise beyond his years. And I will miss him.

I wish I were ready to say goodbye.