Brandy Wine

I find it hard to accept that one friend is dead, and another is paralyzed but that is what a drunk driver does on dark rainy nights. Drunk drivers like Kelly. It is upsetting to me that Kelly barely got a scratch on her and walked away Scott-free. I also find it hard to believe that she was ever my best friend.

Kelly and I were hired on the same day July2,1985. I was hired as the new junior editor and Kelly was the new assistant in the ads department at Ingraham's Times. Kelly would say "Meg if Randy wasn't your brother, I would have your job and you would have mine. To which I would respond, true, but he is, and you don't. Of course, I knew I got this job on my own merit and abilities, but we joked about it anyway. I was a bit of a loner, as writers can be, and I always felt that Randy was my best friend until Kelly came along.

Kelly and I began to have a dinner-out night each week. We would pick our table for two and relax with good food, drink, and conversation. We grew closer as friends and as co-workers. We would sometimes invite others to join us at the bar and grill. This weekly meeting morphed into a weekly meet-up for the entire office. Craig was easily the most outgoing of the group. When Craig strolled in our whole table lit up, this man exuded confidence. Randy was my standing date. He was an overly protective brother who never drank but did enjoy a good meal. Each week he would pick me up with his announcement of his dry ride service. Burt would show up from time to time with his wife Ellie. Since he was the boss, I think he showed up to show a level of comradery They were a lot of fun. Miss Billie, the office secretary joined us every other week. It seems that Kelly and I had started a good thing, although I missed those tables for two sometimes.

One Monday morning meeting, Burt lit into us all. We needed to work harder and sell more ads. He also invoked a no-drinking and driving policy for our weekly get-togethers at the bar and grill. He said if you don't have a designated driver you need to just stay home. Murmurs started at the water cooler "Can he do that?" He just did I said. Not being much of a drinker it really didn't matter to me. Then we started picking Kelly up for those nights. She liked riding along with me and Randy, so she didn't have to worry about it. Kelly liked her drinks and felt like she was after all of age. Randy would bring Stephanie out with us sometimes but more often than not she stayed home with the baby.

At lunch, Kelly and I would have our table for two in the cafeteria. She began to act as if she were on cloud nine. Nothing anybody could say or do would dampen her mood. She even started a new diet to drop the five pounds that she insisted she needed to lose. I guess I was supposed to say oh no you're not fat. Anyway, she had this new diet of fruit cocktail and grilled fish for lunch, and a fruit cocktail for an afternoon snack. I was proud of her for sticking to her diet. How was I to know that the juice in her fruit cocktail was a strong Brandy and wine mixture?

It turns out that 1987 had been a hectic year in Oklahoma. There were many tornadoes that did a lot of damage in our area. Many people were lost. That was always the front page. I stopped going to the weekly gatherings preferring solitude instead. I started spending my spare time writing more on my book. I did sometimes bring work home with me but tried not to make that a habit I grew closer to Stephanie and volunteered to babysit for them whenever they needed a break. Randy and Stephanie were expecting again and of course, I was thrilled about that. I found happiness as I worked on my book, and my family was growing. That was good news.

Kelly came over one night and burst into tears as she entered my house. I was surprised to see her because it was bad weather out and it was also a long drive from her house to mine. Kelly, what's wrong with you, I asked wondering why she hadn't called ahead.

She saw my little niece sitting on her palate. That's baby Gina I said, she's Randy's pride and joy. How old is she, Kelly asked as she picked the baby up. Just had her first birthday. Kelly slumped onto the sofa as I rambled on about the birthday party. What did you come all the way over here to talk about Kelly? She murmured something about swearing me to secrecy. Of course, you know I can keep a secret I said, mostly out of curiosity. But be careful of the promises that you make.

Kelly told me that she was having an affair with a married man for more than a year. She refused to tell me the man's name. I figured that it would come out in time. As the rain poured down the thunder crashed hard onto the ground by the house. This scared baby Gina. So, I reached out and took her from Kelly, who appeared wasted in my opinion. Kelly carried on about how much she and this man loved each other and belonged together. I don't know this man so why take a side in this I thought. Kelly then blamed his wife for not being a good wife. He wouldn't want to cheat if she was taking care of him at home she said. I call that twisted thinking I told her. Kelly then got mad at me and got up to leave. When she got to the door she turned and said, I think you know him. Then she left.

I started making a mental list of all of the guys at work. I never saw any of them flirting with her, except for Burt. That was just his personality, I guess. He was always jovial with everyone. Maybe Johnathan although I tend to doubt it. He was too hung up on his own wife. I went down the list of people we both knew and couldn't figure out who it was. No, it almost had to be someone we knew from the bar and grill. I came to the conclusion that whoever it was it was her problem, not mine. I had barely sat back down and continued to work on my book when the phone rang.

It was Randy asking if Gina could spend the night because of the bad weather. Sure, I said the weather doesn't have to be bad for that you know. Then Randy asked if Kelly was there? No, she was here earlier. What's going on? Then Randy said sit down if you're not already sitting. O.K. tell me, what is it? He said that he just left the scene of a crash and that it was a terrible crash, It's Burt and Ellie. I will call you when I have more details, but Ellie died at the scene. I have to call the others, but I will call you back and we are coming over as soon as the storm clears.

Randy and Stephanie pulled in a little after six. I put fresh coffee on, and we sat at the table. Gee, Randy, you look bad, I said not expecting a response. It's been a bad night he said. As I poured the coffee, he updated me on what he knew. Ellie died at the scene, and they don't think Burt will ever walk again. And there's one more thing, he said. The car they crashed into belongs to Kelly. She must have been thrown from the car but as far as I know, they haven't found her yet.

Randy, I said, when Kelly was here last night she was very drunk. If she was thrown out of the car, she has to be there at the scene You would think so Randy said. Unless she didn't get hurt too bad Stephanie chimed in. Well, I said they won't stop looking until they find her.

About a week later Kelly strolled into the hospital with some guy who I had never seen before. She claimed to have memory loss and her blood tested clean. She said I think I broke my arm somehow. The doctors said this can happen after such a traumatic event. The guy who brought her to the hospital didn't know who she was and just was trying to help a girl walking on the side of the road.

The wreck was attributed to bad weather and poor road conditions.

Ellie is gone and Burt is paralyzed and faces years of rehabilitation.

Oh Yea, the answer to her affair she said she does not remember anything about an affair. Randy told me in private that he remembers an affair. Burt just stares out the window from his hospital bed. His kids had to move away to stay with relatives.

And Kelly made a full recovery and moved away as well.

the end