The sister of Debi (my ninth grade girlfriend) had died, and I had decided to attend the funeral. I thought Debi had gone to my brother Chris' funeral, and my repaying the kindness would be a kind act. I donned a new suit which I had decided to wear, then went to Debi's house, a large Victorian house amazingly similar to the Gay Street House. I walked onto the porch and waited a moment, trying to decide what to do. As I glanced up at some upstairs windows, I thought Debi was probably living in one of the rooms upstairs.

I entered the house and walked into a small room. In front of the stairs in the room was sitting a fellow who was drying his hair. I immediately knew he was Debi's husband. He looked as if he were from the country and he appeared quite obnoxious. At first I thought he was Shaw (a former junior high classmate who married Debi after high school), but then I realized that Debi was no longer married to Shaw and that this was a different man. I thought, "Well, I'm not going to be able to talk to Debi with him around. So I'm just going to have to leave."

I walked back outside. Apparently, some kind of parade for the funeral was going to take place and I debated whether I should join in the parade. I was concerned that Debi's husband might be offended if one of Debi's old boyfriends showed up at the parade.