Cashell Durham – we'll call her “Shelly,” as her brother did – still finds it strange to go a day without the texts. Sometimes, when her phone vibrates, she will think it’s him, for that brief instant when the familiar overrides reality.
kAm$96==J 2?5 96C @?=J D:3=:?8[ p2C@? $2=E6C yC][ E6IE65 6249 @E96C 2== E96 E:>6[ A2CE:4F=2C=J 2D E96J H@F=5 86E DE2CE65 H:E9 6249 52J] $96 :D E96 @=56DE 49:=5 @7 E96 =2E6 r2C@= 2?5 p2C@? $2=E6C $C][ 2?5 96C =:EE=6 3C@E96C :D 2 46?EC2= A2CE @7 96C 62C=:6DE >6>@C:6D – 2 3@?5 DEC6?8E96?65 6G6? H96? $96==J 76== :? =@G6]k^Am
kAm$96 3682? 52E:?8 pCC:6E sFC92> $C][ @7E6? <?@H? 2D p]y][ ?@E =@?8 27E6C D96 DE2CE65 4=2DD6D 2E z6?D:?8E@? w:89 $49@@=] pE 7:CDE p2C@? – EH@ J62CD J@F?86C – H2D ?@E 92AAJ] “(96? >J 9FD32?5 H@F=5 H2=< >6 9@>6 :? E9@D6 52JD[” $96==J D2:5[ 96C H@CC:65 3C@E96C H@F=5 “E9C@H DE@?6D 2E 9:>]”k^Am
kAmp]y] DEF4< 2C@F?5] q67@C6 =@?8[ p2C@? C6G6C65 9:>] w6 H2D A2CE:4F=2C=J :>AC6DD65 H96? p]y] ;@:?65 E96 |2C:?6 r@CAD] ~?46 E96 @=56C >2? C6EFC?65 7C@> E96 D6CG:46[ E96J H6C6 2D 4=@D6 2D 3C@E96CD[ 6DA64:2==J :? E96:C D92C65 <?@H=6586 2?5 56G@E:@? 23@FE 42CD]k^Am
kAmp7E6C bd J62CD H:E9 E96 !@DE2= $6CG:46[ p]y] C6E:C65 E@ 56G@E6 9:>D6=7 E@ >:?:DECJ 2E E96 }@CE9 qF772=@ r@>>F?:EJ r9FC49] $96==J =@DE 9:> E@ 2 DF556? :==?6DD :? a_`g[ 2? 23D6?46 96C 3C@E96C 76=E :? 2 AC@7@F?5 H2J]k^Am
kAm~? |2J `_ @7 =2DE J62C[ ;FDE 27E6C $96==J 2CC:G65 2E 96C ;@3 2D 2 4=:?:42= ?FCD6 >2?286C :? r966<E@H282[ 96C A9@?6 3FKK65] xE H2D 2 E6IE 7C@> p2C@?[ 3FE E9:D H2D ?@ EJA:42= >6DD286ik^Am
kAm“v@@5 >@C?:?8[ $96==J[Q 96 HC@E6] Qw@H 23@FE x 925 2 5C62> 23@FE pCC:6E 2?5 x H2D 5@:?8 >J G6?5:?8 >249:?6D 2?5 x H2D 86EE:?8 D@>6 DEF77 E@86E96C 2?5 py H2D E96C6[ E@@] x E@=5 9:> E96 3@EE=6 A=246 H2D?’E @A6? J6E 2?5 x E@=5 9:> H6 ?665 E@ 8@ 86E D@>6 3C62<72DE] x 962C5 9:D G@:46 2?5 D2H 9:D 7246 2D 4=62C 2D 52J]”k^Am
kAmp2C@? 6?565 E96 E6IE H:E9 @?6 H@C5ik^Am
kAm“(@H]”k^Am
kAm$96==J[ DEF??65[ <6AE C625:?8 E96 >6DD286] %96 56D4C:AE:@? @7 G6?5:?8 >249:?6D 2?5 E96 “3@EE=6 A=246” C676CC65 E@ 2 D:56 ;@3 96C >6492?:42==J 3C:==:2?E 3C@E96C FD65 E@ 9@=5]k^Am
kAm$96 H2D =67E E9:?<:?8 @7 E96:C 49:=59@@5 52JD 2E E96 r@=5 $AC:?8 q:3=6 r92A6= @? }@CE9=2?5 pG6?F6] xE :D H96C6 E96J 3@E9 6>3C2465 E96 36=:67 E92E DFDE2:?D 96C ?@H[ 2?5 D96 H@?56C65 :7 96C 9FD32?5 – E9C@F89 96C 3C@E96CVD 5C62> – H2D D6?5:?8 D@>6 <:?5 @7 >6DD286]k^Am
kAmu@FC 52JD =2E6C[ p2C@? – 2 C6E:C65 qF772=@ A@=:46 @77:46C H9@ 92?5=65 D64FC:EJ 2E E96 %@AD DFA6C>2C<6E @? y6776CD@? pG6?F6 – H6?E :?E@ H@C<[ E6==:?8 $96==J 96 H2D 4@G6C:?8 2 D9:7E 7@C 2 7C:6?5]k^Am
kAm%96 72>:=J 4@??64E:@? C2? 566Ai %96:C >@> H2D 2 7C@?E\6?5 >2?286C 2E E96 @=5 %@AD 2E r6?EC2= !2C< !=2K2] $96==J DE2CE65 H@C<:?8 2E E92E DE@C6 2E `e 2D 2 42D9:6C[ 2?5 96C 3C@E96C E@@< 2 ;@3 E96C6 H96? 96 C624965 E92E D2>6 286]k^Am
kAm“(6 2== 92G6 2 D@7E DA@E 7@C %@AD[” $96==J D2:5] $@ :E >256 D6?D6 E92E p2C@? H@F=5 C6EFC? E@ E92E 8C@46CJ 492:? 27E6C C6E:C:?8 7C@> E96 A@=:46] $96 @7E6? G:D:E65 9:> 2E H@C<[ H96C6 96 D66>65 E@ <?@H 6G6CJ 4FDE@>6C H9@ H2=<65 :?]k^Am
kAm“qF772=@’D 2 D>2== H@C=5[” $96==J D2:5[ 6DA64:2==J :? 2 4@>>F?:EJ :?E6CEH:?65 H:E9 E96:C 72>:=J D:?46 49:=59@@5]k^Am
kAm%96J E2=<65 @? E96 A9@?6 E92E uC:52J[ =6DD E92? 2 H66< 27E6C p2C@? 46=63C2E65 |@E96CVD s2J H:E9 9:D H:76[ z:>36C=J[ 2?5 E96:C <:5D] $96==J A=2??65 @? DE@AA:?8 3J %@AD @? E96 ?6IE 52J[ |2J `c[ 27E6C D96 8@E @FE @7 H@C<[ E6==:?8 p2C@?ik^Am
kAmQx’== D66 J@F 367@C6 J@F =62G6 @FE]”k^Am
kAm$96 5:5 ?@E 92G6 6?@F89 E:>6] ~? E92E ?6IE 27E6C?@@?[ |2J `c[ $96==J H2D @? E96 ;@3 H96? 96C 52F89E6C r2C@= 42==65[ E6==:?8 96C 2 y6776CD@? pG6?F6 D9@@E:?8 925 7=2D965 24C@DD E96 ?6HD] $96==J D2H =:EE=6 AC@323:=:EJ :E H2D 2?JH96C6 ?62C p2C@?]k^Am
kAm“w6’D ~z[” D96 E@=5 96CD6=7] “%9:D :D D@>6E9:?8 @? E96 DEC66E]”k^Am
kAmqFE C6A@CED DE2CE65 4@>:?8 :? @7 E96 F?E9:?<23=6[ 2?5 r2C@= <6AE 42==:?8 96C F?4=6[ H9@ 5:5 ?@E A:4< FA] “w6’D ;FDE 96=A:?8 D@>63@5J[” $96==J D2:5[ 3642FD6 E92E’D H92E 96C 3C@E96C 5:5[ F?E:= 2?@E96C 7C:6?5 42==65 E@ D2J D96 962C5 p2C@? H2D 9FCE]k^Am
kAmp? FAD6E $96==J 42==65 }2E6 v@=5D>:E9[ 2 C6E:C65 @77:46C 4=@D6 E@ p2C@?]k^Am
kAm%92E’D H96? D96 =62C?65[ D96 D2:5 @7 96C 3C@E96C[ QE92E 9:D >:DD:@? H2D 5@?6]”k^Am
kAm}6IE $2EFC52J >@C?:?8[ @? E96 6G6 @7 E96 @?6\J62C C6>6>3C2?46 @7 2 C24:DE >2DD24C6[ $96==J 2?5 2 8C@FA @7 7C:6?5D H:== ;@:? @E96CD 7C@> p2C@?VD 72>:=J 2E r2?:D:FD r@==686[ 96C 3C@E96CVD 2=>2 >2E6C] k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^37=@d`cd<]4@>^Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm%96J H:== E2<6 A2CE :? 2 dz 4@>>F?:EJ QCF?[ H2=< @C DEC@==Qk^2m :? EC:3FE6 E@ E96 `_ A6@A=6 =@DE 2E %@AD[ 2? 6G6?E – ;@:?65 H:E9 2 92=7\>2C2E9@? – E@ 96=A 7F?5 D49@=2CD9:AD :? p2C@?VD >6>@CJ]k^Am
kAm%96 4@@C5:?2E@CD 2C6 D@>6 @7 9:D 4=@D6DE 7C:6?5D[ 2 8C@FA @7 C6E:C65 q=24< @77:46CD H9@D6 D92C65 6IA6C:6?46 7@C 564256D EFC?65 E96> :?E@ 6IE6?565 72>:=J] %96J D66 E96 6G6?E 2D 2 DJ>3@=:4 4:G:4 C2==J:?8 A@:?E 7@C H92E $96==JVD 3C@E96C 6>3@5:65[ :? 9:D D24C:7:46 2E %@ADik^Am
kAmQtG6CJ3@5J ?665D E92E 4@>A2DD:@?[Q D96 D2:5]k^Am
kAm(:E9:? 9@FCD @7 E96 >2DD D9@@E:?8 =2DE J62C[ D96 3682? =62C?:?8 E96 6DD6?46 @7 p2C@?VD 49@:46[ 9@H 2 >FC56C6C – 2C>65 2D :7 7@C H2C – 6>6C865 7C@> 2 G69:4=6 :? E96 %@AD A2C<:?8 =@E] w6 DE2CE65 <:==:?8 2?5 H@F?5:?8 5676?D6=6DD A6@A=6 H9@> p2C@? <?6H 3J ?2>6[ D:>A=J 3642FD6 E96J H6C6 p7C:42? p>6C:42?]k^Am
kAmw6C 3C@E96C[ $96==J D2:5[ 925 E:>6 E@ H2C? D9@AA6CD 2?5 DE277 – 2 C6DA@?D6 F?:G6CD2==J 4C65:E65 H:E9 D2G:?8 =:G6D – 367@C6 96 6I492?865 7:C6 H:E9 2 8F?>2? :? 3@5J 2C>@C[ 2? 24E @7 C2H 4@FC286 :? H9:49 p2C@? 925 =:EE=6 492?46]k^Am
kAm$96 56D4C:36D :E 2D E96 F=E:>2E6 6I2>A=6 @7 E96 4@56 96 =:G65 6249 52J] w6 H2D 2 8FJ 2=H2JD C625J E@ 8:G6 E:>6 @C 4@?46C? E@ D@>6@?6 6=D6[ 2 8FJ – 27E6C D96 =@DE p]y] – Qx 4@F=5 2=H2JD 42== 2?5 4CJ]Qk^Am
kAmp2C@?VD 23D6?46[ $96==J D2:5[ :D “=:<6 2 A:646 @7 >6 :D 8@?6]” w6C 3C@E96C H@C6 2 8@=5 492:? 2C@F?5 9:D ?64<[ 42CCJ:?8 9:D ?2>6 :? pC23:4[ E92E D96 3C@F89E 9:> 2D 2 8:7E 27E6C D96 EC2G6=65 E@ t8JAE] %96J H6C6 :? 4@?E24E 2=>@DE 6G6CJ 52J[ 2 <:?D9:A 7@C865 3J A2C6?ED H9@ :?DA:C65 E96:C H9@=6 H@C=5 G:6H]k^Am
kAm{2DE H66<[ D96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^3F772=@?6HD]4@>^>F=E:>65:2^A9@E@D\42D96==\D96==J\5FC92>\C6>6>36CD\96C\3C@E96C\22C@?\D2=E6C\;C^4@==64E:@?0742eae4e\6d`g\``65\2`f`\dfahfe7g_cd2]9E>=Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm7=:AA65 E9C@F89 @=5 72>:=J :>286Dk^2m E92E E@@< 96C 324< \ p2C@? 2D 2 ;@J@FD 323J[ p2C@? 5C6DD65 E@ E96 ?:?6D 2D 2? 6:89E9 8C256C[ D96 2?5 p2C@? 2D =:EE=6 <:5D @? E96 49FC49 DE6AD[ E96 E:?J p2C@? :? 2 765@C2]k^Am
kAm$96==J E9@F89E @7 E96:C >@E96C[ r2C@= $2=E6C[ H9@ BF@E65 A@6ECJ 2?5 $4C:AEFC6 E@ 7:E 2?J >@>6?E @7 564:D:@? @C DECF88=6[ 2 H@>2? QH9@ H2D ;FDE D@ DEC@?8 2?5 E2F89E FD E92E 2?JE9:?8 H6 H2?E65 E@ 5@[ H6 4@F=5 5@[Q $96==J D2:5]k^Am
kAm%96:C 72E96C[ 2 3@:=6C>2<6C[ H2D 2 D<:==65 >6492?:4 H9@ A2DD65 @? H92E $96==J 42==65 2 8C62E :?96C:E2?46 E@ 9:D D@?i {62C? E@ 7:I 2?JE9:?8[ 2?5 J@F E2<6 4@>A=6E6 4@?EC@= @7 J@FC @H? =:76]k^Am
kAm“p2C@? ?6G6C 925 2 42C A2J>6?E[” $96==J D2:5] x?DE625[ 96 H@F=5 3FJ D66>:?8=J 3FDE65\36J@?5\C6A2:C G69:4=6D[ C6A2:C E96> 2?5 C6EFC? E96> E@ E96 C@25] w6 C6G:G65 2 r25:==24 t=5@C25@ E92E $96==J H:== 2=H2JD D66 2D 9:D D:8?2EFC6 42C[ E96? D@=5 :E 2D 2 H2J E@ 3FJ 2 >@E@C 9@>6 96 =@G65]k^Am
kAmw6 H2D 2? :?G6?E@C[ 2? :??@G2E@C[ H:E9 2 =@G6 @7 EC2G6= 2?5 2 3FC?:?8 D6?D6 @7 AFCA@D6 E92E $96==J 6IA64E65 E@ 42CCJ 9:> 566A :?E@ @=5 286]k^Am
kAm“(96? 96 C6E:C65[ 96 H2D?’E 8@:?8 E@ D:E 9@>6 2?5 H2E49 %'[” D96 D2:5] “w6 =:<65 H@C<:?8 2E E92E DE@C6] w6 H@CC:65 23@FE E96 A6@A=6 H9@ H2=<65 E96C6 E@ D9@A] w6 =@G65 E@ D:E 2?5 49:E492E H:E9 E96>]”k^Am
kAmx? E96 6?5[ D96 D2:5[ 96 49@D6 E@ 8:G6 9:D =:76[ AC@E64E:?8 E96:CD]k^Am
kAm$96==J 564:565 282:?DE 8@:?8 E@ E96 <:==6CVD 4@FCE AC@4665:?8D[ DE2886C65 6G6? ?@H 3J DF49 >2=:46] “|J :DDF6[” D96 D2JD[ “:D 9@H 2E `g 96 4@F=5 86E E92E >F49 92EC65 :? 9:D 962CE[” A@:D@? D96 <?@HD 96 5:5 ?@E 5C2H 7C@> E9:? 2:C]k^Am
kAm&?=6DD H6 =@@< 92C5[ D96 D2:5[ 2E E96 724E DF49 :?9F>2?:EJ DE:== 6I:DED – F?=6DD H6 DE66= @FCD6=G6D E@ 5CJ:?8 FA E96 H6== 7@C E9:D A@:D@? – E96? “2== E9@D6 A6@A=6 H9@ H6C6 ;FDE 5@:?8 EJA:42= C@FE:?6D” 2E %@AD H:== 92G6 5:65 :? G2:?]k^Am
kAmt2C= !6CC:?[ 2 C6E:C65 @77:46C 96=A:?8 4@@C5:?2E6 $2EFC52JVD H2=< 2?5 CF?[ D2:5 E96 H9@=6 :>A6EFD :D FD:?8 962=E9[ =@G6 2?5 >@E:@? 2D 3@E9 2 >6>@C:2= 2?5 2? 6?8:?6 @7 962=:?8 – 2 82E96C:?8 E@ 7:E E96 H2J p2C@? D2H E96 H@C=5]k^Am
kAm$96==J[ H9@ :?G:E6D 6G6CJ@?6 E@ 2EE6?5[ D2:5 :E :D 2=D@ 2 4@>>F?:EJ 6I2>A=6 @7 =:G:?8 @FE E96 72:E9 E92E 42FD6D 96C E@ 8@ @?] k^Am
kAm“(6 ?665 E@ 92G6 8C246[” D96 D2:5[ E96 DE2E6 E92E 2==@HD 96C E@ 36=:6G6 p2C@?’D 5C62>[ 56D4C:365 :? 9:D >@C?:?8 E6IE[ H2D ?@ 244:56?E] %96 9FD32?5 D96 =@G65 H2D AC6A2C:?8 2 96C@VD 8C66E:?8 7@C 96C 3C@E96C[ 2?5 :? E92E H2J E96J 3@E9 E@=5 96Cik^Am
kAm$96 H:== 7:?5 E96>[ 36J@?5 %@AD]k^Am
Sean Kirst is a columnist with The Buffalo News. Email him at skirst@buffnews.com.
Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter.