May 11, 2005 would be the day that my life changed forever. However no story would be complete without a little background information.
Let's rewind to May 10, 2005. I was four days shy of graduating with a BS. from college. There was so much to do and so little time. I had an on campus “job” of taking care of residents. I had to get an outfit. I had to pack. I felt like I was about to jump off a cliff!!
My phone rang. To my dismay I HAD to answer it since I was a resident assistant. Much to my surprise, it was an actually a childhood friend of mine who was also graduating. Phew! It wasn't a resident. Thank The Lord! “Jessica” was going to be in my area and wanted to know if I wanted to hang out and celebrate.
I came up with every excuse in the book not to go. They weren't really excuses, they more like chores that needed to be accomplished within the next four days. After a back and forth banter, I finally caved and decided to meet her in the city the next day.
Fast forward to May 11th. I alerted my co-workers that I wouldn't be around and to call me on my cellular phone is they needed me. I've never be a fan of the subway, but it's one of the easiest and cheapest means of transportation. This will come into play as my story unfolds.
I get to the city around 3 PM and Jess and her boyfriend are there waiting. We decided to nix the idea of drinking since I had finals to study for and Jess had to drive to her house and back to her campus. We sat down in one of the local eateries and stuffed our faces as though we were going to the electric chair and that was our last meal. We spent most of the night cackling like banshees and reminiscing on the good ole days.
Jess and I are 80s babies and we couldn't help but sing those catchy 80 tunes for the whole place to hear. We even started quoting lines from some of the cheesiest 80s movies known to man! It was the most fun I had been a part of in a very long time!! As the saying goes, “Time flies when you're having a good time” and truer words have never been spoken. I looked at my watch and realized that it was 2am!!
Crap!
Where did the time go? Jess had to get home and get back to her campus and I had so many things to take care of back at school. Looking back, I wouldn't have traded in the great time I had for anything. However, I do wish I had managed my time better. I wish I had listened to Jess.
We both decided it was time to go. Jess offered to give me a ride back to campus. In fact she pleaded with me. However, being the stubborn person that I am, I refused and told her I'd catch a cab. She said she would wait until I got one, but I wouldn't hear of it and told her to go before her mother yelled at her even more for not coming home when she said. We hugged one another good-bye and her and her boyfriend drove off.
I stood there trying to get a cab for at least a half an hour. It was now 3:15 AM at least! I had to be back on campus before the sun came out. I was tired. I was annoyed. I just wanted to get home. I didn't want to ask one of my friends to come get me. I didn't want to be seen as a burden. So against my better judgment, I decided to take the subway home. I knew the dangers of riding the subway alone at night, but I went anyway.
I should have waited until I heard the train whistle to go downstairs for the train. But I was wearing heels and I knew that would slow me down and I didn't want to risk missing the train. The place appeared to be empty anyway. That was until I got downstairs. I stood by the stairs, but I knew if I stayed there, I would be let off at the wrong exit.
I walked down the platform. A platform that I thought was empty. As I continued to walk the platform, the only sound I heard was the click clack of my heels. I saw a person in the distance. I just figured that they were some homeless person just trying to keep warm. I decided against walking any further and instead took out my iPod to calm my panicky nerves.
What if he got hit by a bus on the way to the station, pity he never died on that day.