I told him to his face. He didn’t cry; He just smiled, and I left. I left him there, in his apartment, with nothing but his smile. It was the worst day of my life.
We had cut him off. Sharon and I waited for him to call, but he never did. Long nights by the phone yielded nothing. We asked his friends, but he didn’t tell us anything.

So we let him be. We let him be, and he we all are. Mark was a strong character, and Sharon and I had hoped that we had brought him up well enough. But I guess not. I guess we failed him.
When the officer came to our door and said that he had died , I didn’t believe him. I would not listen to him, even when he brought out the report. I had to see for myself. I had to see him.
At the morgue the mortician made a joke that at lest he was in one piece. At least he thought it was a joke. I didn’t. I wanted to see my son. I did. You see him now, here. I know he would have like this, and laughed. my Tom Sawyer.
Here’s to Mark. Grant him rest, O Lord. May he rest in peace.
Amen