0 0 * 0
0 w
Wednesday, January 30, 2013 The Statement 7B
Permanent ripples
by Katie Burke
random student interview: world's end by jennifergustafson
Welcome to the Random squids are very likely to rule us. not very high maintenance.
Student Interview, where the
Absolutely wonderful article - a well-written story about an
extraordinary community standout and the wonderful Paul. I'm
happy but not surprised to learn about Avalon being awarded
the OSIF grant! As a citizen and Avalon tenant, I have to say -
the existence of Avalon in Ann Arbor illustrates my idea of the
Beloved Community.
- USER: Dixie Patricia Cockrell
Prof. Ralph Williams: A rnadern day Prospero
I've read a bunch of stories about Ralph Williams over the
years. This is by far the most interesting. Davi Napoleon, LSA '66,
Rackham '68
USER: Davi Napoloeon
human race has been dissolved
and it's all your fault.
So, Devon, let's say the world
endstomorrow. What animal do
you think would have the best
chance of taking over the human
race?
Um...
And ruling them (us)?
I would say ... dogs, probably.
Dogs? Why?
Dogs form packs:They multiply.
They can live really anywhere.
But there are so many differ-
ent kinds of dogs. Would it be,
like, areflection ofhumanity thus
far? Different races of dogs? Race
wars? Class wars between the
chiluahuas and the labradors?
I feel like the dogs would mon-
grelize very quickly.
What does that mean?
Like they would all become
mutts.
Oh, interesting. Why not?
I've read some articles that said
I haven't heard about squids.
Why?
I don't really know; I didn't
really read into it. Ijust read the
headlines that squids are most
likely to take over after the gla-
ciers melt and the waters rise,
swinging from the submerged
trees.
Uhhh ... I just don't think squids
could kill all of the other species in
the manner necessary to take over
the world.
So how are the dogs going to
take over? An uprising? Or is it
the failure of the human race to
sustain itself and so itjust dies
out?
Like what?
Like you couldn't have lions
because lions just require too much
to grow. Lions would decimate their
food source. They're too much of a
tertiary predator.
That's what they call me on
the dating scene - "The Tertiary
Predator." (NOTE: They don't)
4
.!1
They're what we call the top of
the food chain. Do you understand?
Don't patronize me, Devon.
Sorry.
What's making you so tense?
I have to finish this homework
assignment.
That's fair. Are you close to
finishing it?
Not even.
Devon is an Engineering sopho-
more with Junior standing credit-
wise. He wants you to know this.
I
I'
I think dogs are the perfect NOTE FOR DEVON: I will
blend. They're carnivorous and they meet you on the battlefield with
can kill, but I also feel like they're my squid army.
was getting ready for a graduation party packing a single pair of shorts for the 80 took his life the night before his graduation. It
when I received the Facebook message. degree summer weather. After the other kids sounds like it was lastnight. I'm getting infor-
It was the summer of 2011. I was done in the program made this discovery, the name mation about the family address so we can
with high school and looking forward to all Sam Mays only appeared on his byline. From show our love for Shorts. There are posts on
the new opportunities of college. The sender's then on he was addressed by students and his Facebook, saya prayer."
name was unfamiliar and the profile picture instructors alike as "Shorts." He took pride After I wrote the hardest message I've ever
seemed generic so I immediately assumed it in his new nickname and wore his jeans with had to compose, my friends showed up to go to
was spam. But curiosity got the better of me an air of satisfaction during the pick-up soccer the party. I explained what had just happened
and I opened it to double check. It read, "Hi, games and record heat. On the last two nights and-they sat with me while I calmed down and
I am a friend of Sam's, and Ijust wanted to let of the program, Shorts refused to go to sleep prepared to face a room of kids who, unlike
someone fromhis Cherubs list know that Sam so he wouldn't miss out on any final moments. Shorts, had made it to their graduation day,
is no longer with us. He took his own life last By the time we had said our teary goodbyes, happy and unaware of the tragedy in Minne-
night, the night before graduation. If you have Shorts had cemented himself as a celebrity in sota. I made it through the first five or ten min-
any questions, please message me back." the program and was the subject of the most utes of the party before I had to find a closet
My mind froze. I kept rereading the mes- memorable moments of those five weeks. and quietly let the tears return. Friends who
sage; I was disgusted someone would pull After Shorts' friend proved the truth I knew what hadhappened satwith me as I tried
such a crude prank. I needed to respond, so refused to admit, he asked me to inform the to compose myself, while others assumed I
I told the mysterious messenger that I didn't rest of the program. It seemed the least I could was upset over some drama. I didn't care what
believe him - that his joke wasn't funny. His do from a thousand miles away, but it was also was going on in the room outside, all I could
reply came instantaneously, this time provid- impossible. I found my mom downstairs and, think of was Shorts and his family.
ing Sam's sister's phone number and directing before I couldget the words out, I started sob- The responses from the other kids in the
me to his Facebook page filled with his class- bing. I couldn't stop. Eventually, in between program that night and in the coming days
mates' messages of personal memories. There tears, I got the story out and she took me back were incredibly moving. Some sent letters
was no more denying it: Sam Mays, aseeming- to my room. She reminded me of the gradu- and messages to Minnesota, while others
ly happy and healthy aspiring journalist who ation party and my friends who would be put together videos of summer memories of
lived in Minnesota, had committed suicide picking me up any minute. The party was the Shorts that were shown at his funeral. I had
the night before his high-school graduation. absolute last thought on my mind, but it would never felt a greater sense of community than
I met Sam the previous summer at a five- be the last time I would see many of my high- in those few weeks, when people from across
week journalism program for high-school school friends until we packed up for college, the country came together to commemorate
students interested in journalism at North- since I was going away for the summer. My a lost friend. That summer I spoke on the
western University. He was a towering mom held my hand as I slowly typed out the phone with my friend in Evanston, where
blonde, glasses-wearing boy from Roches- message. The tears still didn't stop. My mes- Northwestern is, once every few weeks. We
ter, Minnesota. He was an incredible writer sage on the program's Facebook group read, shared our memories and talked through the
with a knack for website programming. Sam "Hi everyone, I have very sad news. A friend grief. He would remind me of the importance
achieved instant fame that summer f o 'of+Shorats saged ge tellings ;c that he ofhldingonto Shrts'cmem ryt remember'
him with a smile rather than sadness. I'm for-
ever grateful for those longcalls and the com-
fort they brought to my summer.
I wasn't close with Shorts. I had talked to
him a few times and occasionally played soc-
cer with him, but I didn't count him in my
immediate circle of friends from that sum-
mer. I couldn't explain the overwhelming
sense of loss I felt after his death. I had known
him for five weeks, he lived in a completely
different part of the country and he was going
to a completely different college. Reflect-
ing on my feelings, at first I felt selfish. What
right did I have to sit and cry and mope from a
far away city when his family must be dealing
with an unexplainable amount of pain? How-
ever, Shorts was the only person I had known
to take his own life. He was the only person I
had known that was my age, on his way to col-
lege, full of potential, who had died. I stopped
crying that summer but the grief and feelings
of confusion remained. It never got easier, as
dealing with death never does, but as every-
one must, I went on with my life. Over a year
later, I realize I'll never know what Shorts
was thinking or feeling that night before his
graduation; there will never be an explana-
tion, it will never be all right, but I know his
memory will never fade. A premature death
is a tragedy but it sends permanent ripples
through communities, touching everyone
near and far.
Katie Burke is an LSA junior and a Daily News
eitor.