More Than a Memory

McDonald's? Just a fast food restaurant. One that's famous for the dollar menu, okay food, and quick service. Nothing special, right? Well, it was all of these things to me until December 31, 2008. This particular day started out as any other rodeo day would. It was the "End of the Year" rodeo ride! More than 1,000 high school kids were entered which led to an exhausting, long day. On the way home that night, we stopped at McDonald's (the only place that was open) and ate! I was with my best friend (who happened to be a male) and his family, which was pretty much my family. We ate and chatted until Trey, my best friend, decided we should play on the playground and slide down the slides on the food trays! It was a blast! I began to slide down the slide as Trey was coming up. I was attempting to knock his feet out from under him but this plan backfired, of course! We ended up all tangled up at the bottom of the slide which was quite alright with me considering fifteen minutes earlier my piece of eye candy had asked if I  wanted to be his boyfriend! Of course I told him I'd have to think long and hard but I'm pretty sure he knew the answer when I stole a kiss and ran away! Needless to say the night was perfect! Until..............I woke from a nap in the truck on the way home. Trey had been holding my head as I rested. He was no longer there. There were sirens and lights everywhere. I was in the truck with Trey's mother who was crying uncontrollably. I had no idea what to think. I tried to climb out of the truck doors but I couldn't. His mother grabbed me and repeatedly said "he'll be okay honey, he'll be okay.."

I saw it all but couldn't make sense of it. I saw the horse trailer, headlights, a helicopter, a body lying motionless but still coudn't put the pieces together...I wouldn't understand until early in the morning the next day.

We had a flat tire. Trey had gotten out to help his dad get the job done faster so we could get home. He had placed traffic cones 20 foot away from the trailer to warn oncoming drivers. However, to a drunk driver they meant nothing. My love had been hit by a drunk driver going 60 miles per hour.....the driver didn't even stop. He had simply thought he had hit a speed bump. This tragic loss was anything but a speed bump to myself and his family. But I can't help but smile every time I walk into a McDonald's. I'll look at the playground and laugh. I always get a Oreo McFlurry and reminisce about that night until I can't bare the memory anymore......to me, it's not just an ice cream, its more than a memory..


Cgarner