I got lots of dumb stuff to bitch about but not today. I opened up the newspaper yesterday at breakfast and dropped it like it was on fire. The face of one of the Harvey family's killers was on the front and if I never have to see that empty glassy stare again, it would be fine with me. That horrible empty... person is up for trial this week and I don't even want to go into how I feel about what his punishment should be.

All the details, all the horrible details will be coming out this week and oh my God, I don't want to know that stuff. How do you unknow it once it's heard? It was awful enough imagining the last hours of the Harveys over and over and over again when it happened, but to KNOW is so much worse.

I talked about how I had jury duty last week, yes? Well, it seems I missed having to be part of the jury selection by two days. Two days. I cannot FATHOM how they will find 16 Richmonders who have either not heard about this case or are able to be objective. If I get called on Thursday I'll be in the same building and I don't even want to do that. How could anyone be objective? How could they stand it? Will they have to see pictures? How do you ever go back to how you were before you heard about the horrible things some people are capable of doing?

It's been a little over eight months since it happened and it's still so much a part of everything. Every trip to Carytown is a reminder. Every local blog posting is a reminder. Every time I see the postcard on my dresser, it's a reminder. Don't forget. Don't forget that the worst possible thing that will never happen can happen. Don't forget that the good stuff is temporary. It's all temporary.

It's too easy to say that you should love your family hard and be thankful for every thing and every day. Who can be that mindful of their luck every day? It's too much to ask of anyone, but I try. I do.

However, it doesn't erase the existence of real horror, real evil, really, really fucking awful things that DO HAPPEN and happen to people you know or recognize. People you live near and relate to. People who are part of the community and part of what's good about the town where you live. Don't forget. Don't forget. Don't forget.

1 chatty monkeys