Matt

Matt was my hero. I remember when his mother was sick and his father was always busy with the new baby (a boy by the way, not a girl) and coming to terms with his wife in the hospital, he used to stay with us. It was happening right after our home became unhappy and I didn't see dad so much anymore.

We didn't have really anything, looking back, but it didn't matter because we could amuse ourselves in every which way. We would watch the storms from the third floor, nervous and excited by the strength of the downpour on the skylights or join my mother outside on the porch and watch until the clouds went away. Those were some of my favorite memories. It didn't matter when things started to disappear from the house because all we needed were two sticks for swords and a tree to defend against invasion.

I remember going to visit his mother in the hospital. I think that was when I started to hate them. She was never the strongest person, but to two four year olds, she always seemed to be. Mom used to take us every week.

We would go on trips too. Things were never important to me. Horses were; animals in general were and he liked the outdoors. Mom used to take us everywhere. She told me later that it wasn't the 'things' that were important because there really wasn't much of that around our house at that time, it was the experiences.

One trip in particular I will never forget. Matt was a devilish child, you have to understand. Most boys of that age are. He somehow managed to open the car door while we were on the highway into town. I had never seem my mother that upset with a child. This of course does not include the time he fell into the shark tank at the aquarium that one time.

You must remember of course, that he was one of my best friends. He was every inch the making of a knight that grows up to rescue a princess. He used to ask my mother why her car was so dirty and she would always hide a smile and say it was because of the elves. He would stamp his foot, shouting "AGAIN?!" and continue angrily "I'm going to get those elves!"

And that is why I will never forget him.