Dead...

I was talking to my mother and she told me that Jackie Dukat died. Now, if you are reading this, I can almost guarantee that you have no clue who this Jackie might be, but that’s okay. Follow me. I was surprised but not horribly affected by the news. This could be because I had not seen nor spoken to Jackie in probably 15 years. Out of sight, out of mind. While on the phone with my mom, I looked up her obituary online. No cause of death, just that she had „died at home… Now, Jackie was not 90 years old. She was not 70 years old. Jackie was only 34 and she…”died at home.” I don’t know what that means. Does that mean she had some long horribly drawn out disease that killed her? Does that mean she died suddenly without warning? Does that mean she offed herself? What does “died at home” mean? My mom pointed out that the obituary does not mention a donation center (hospital or some sort of “cause” fund to contribute to), which usually indicated that the deceased had a disease relating to the “cause” fund that caused death. I reviewed the obit, it was true, no “cause” fund… “Died at home.”
As the days have gone on, I've thought about Jackie. This chick had some major influence in development years. I learned how to twirl a baton because of Jackie for Christ sake. I played hide and seek in the “hair salon” in Jackie’s basement (I swear I didn’t do hair). I hung out with Jackie non-stop for many a year, swimming in her pool, playing in her car-port. She was always the one starting our “kick the can” games or a round of “four squares.” “Fences” was developed by the neighborhood kids and she had a hand in that. We built a snow cave in her front yard one year and it was surprisingly warm. Fuck, without Jackie, I never would have played "PIT" and "Mill Bournes" two of the best games EVER (of which I still have and play to this day)! And all they tell you is…”Died at home”