My Friend Jimmy

Scott Weiner

June 1995

Jimmy and I met in the fourth grade. We were in Special Education Classes together. We were with each other all day. Year after year, we grew closer. Some people might have thought we were brothers. Sometimes, it seemed that we were.

Jimmy was my main source of goodness. He was also a source of sadness. I could see his pain but he did not talk much about it. I think that he thought that he would scare me. It did, but I tried to hide it. We both knew it was there. I did not feel uncomfortable or anything. It is just hard to put into words.

Jimmy and I went thru most of elementary school, all of middle school, and had made plans for high school. He missed alot of school due to him treatments but when he was there, his presence was felt. He would make people laugh with his antics and jokes. Our friends loved to see him dance. We all loved to ride to school with Jimmy and here his father's jokes.

Jimmy always talked about high school. That was one of the things we talked about most the last few years. The summer between eighth grade and our freshman year, I found out that Jimmy had to have another transplant. That was one of the most saddest feelings that I have had in my life. I knew he was not going to be there in the fall when I went to High School. The dragon had returned.

I will never forget the night that I saw Jimmy for the last time. The house was full with his family and the doctor did not want Jimmy to hear my voice. So I went outside and stood by the doorwall to be near Jimmy, The pain I felt that night I will never forget. A small part of me died with Jimmy.

Yesterday I received my diploma from Berkley HIgh. I wish Jimmy could have been there and I would have been able to see him walk across the stage and get he diploma like me.