"Mark"

 In 2016, I was locked up in a mental hospital for 14 days because of a suicide attempt.  While I was locked up I met another "inmate", I will call him "Mark".  He was incarcerated for a 30 day detox.  There were inmates there for acute paranoid schizophrenia, suicide, various forms of detox, you name it....all of us crammed into one ward.

I am a very small women and men often feel the need to protect me...Mark was no different, an old school gentleman.  We struck up a friendship and on more than one occasion, Mark had my back.  He was a big guy and took it upon himself to be my body guard!

I don't remember who was released first, but we exchanged numbers, to keep in touch...the polite thing to do...

Shortly after my release, I had major surgery and eventually took a very long solo trip..I had to do something to change my life or I would die...literally.  

Along my 5000 mile trip, Mark would call or text, checking on me.  He had gone back to his addiction I could tell, so I needed to distance myself from him, for his sake and mine.

Months later after my trip, Mark asked me to ride with him to Sturgis on his Harley...I was so tempted, but I was in the middle of leaving my husband, so I declined...

Awhile after than, I received a text that Mark had fallen from a ladder and broke his back...he was in rehab.  Eventually he could walk again, but his rehabilitation  to a long time....He was doing better the last I heard from him....

I did not hear from him again for almost 2 years.  

I found a message from his partner, she left it on my phone November 14, Mark had died of pancreatic cancer...I found the message on Jan 16...This man went through so much only to die....

Isn't that for everyone?  We go through so much, only to die...FUCK 

Goodbye Mark...fly safe....

S,sophee