This is a two shot, written for Doug Altman and his family and friends.
August 8th 2009
3:00 PM
"Iggy?" Max's voice sounded thick from holding back tears.
"Max? What's wrong?" I sat up on my bed. I heard her light foot steps walking into my room. she sat down on my bed and put her arm around me.
Step one you say we need to talk
He walks you say sit down it's just a talk
He smiles politely back at you
You stare politely right on through
Some sort of window to your right
As he goes left and you stay right
Between the lines of fear and blame
You begin to wonder why you came
"Iggy, we need to talk. I have really bad news."
"What? What's happened?"
"Doug, his dad, and his uncle, died to day. In a plane crash."
"Wha-What?"
"I'm so sorry Iggy." Max put her head in the nook of my neck and she started crying.
"How?" I asked, tears coming to my eyes
"They were flying to Ocean City, and their plane collided with a helicopter over the Hudson River. They took of from the field down the street." She said.
Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
I sat and thought for a while.
When we moved here to this town of Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, Doug was the first person I befriended. He was the first person to accept my blindness. He was my best friend outside of the flock. I was over his house every weekend during the school year, and almost everyday during the summer. It was my second home. He knew everything about me and the Flock. he knew about the wings and everything. How could this happen? We are 16-years-old. I could see it if I died, giving my past, but Doug was all human, and didn't have to fight for his life.
"Iggy?" Max pulled me out of my thoughts. That's when I realized I had tears running down my face.
"How did you find out?"
"Mrs. Altman called."
I only sighed. I put my head in my hands Max leaned into me.
"I'm sorry Iggy."
"It's not your fault."
Let him know that you know best
Cause after all you do know best
Try to slip past his defense
Without granting innocence
Lay down a list of what is wrong
The things you've told him all along
And pray to God he hears you
And pray to God he hears you
Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
"I know, but I am still sorry."
"Would you stop saying that!" I yelled, and instantly regretted it.
"Ok." she said quietly. "Do you wanna be alone?"
As he begins to raise his voice
You lower yours and grant him one last choice
Drive until you lose the road
Or break with the ones you've followed
He will do one of two things
He will admit to everything
Or he'll say he's just not the same
And you'll begin to wonder why you came
"Please." I said. I heard her get up and leave. I didn't leave my room until about 8:00 that night. When I did, I walked downstairs and things got quiet.
"The pizza just showed up Ig." Max said.
"I'm not hungry. I'm going to see, er talk to Mrs. Altman. I'll be back later."
"Do you want me to go with you?" Fang asked.
"No, it's ok." I grabbed my Jacket and walked out the door. I took of towards the Altman house.
When I landed on the front porch, memories came back to me. Doug and I sitting on the porch talking about girls, or throwing a football. He never knew how I caught it.
I knocked on the door and I heard Mrs. Altman's footsteps. The door opened and there was silence.
"Hi Mrs. Altman."
"Oh Iggy." She pulled me into a hug, and the tears came rolling down both of our faces.
"Mrs. Altman, I'm so sorry."
"Come in Iggy."
I walked in and sat on the sofa across from Doug's mom.
"Have they found him?" I asked.
"Yes. They are bringing him home, well not here, but in this area until the funeral"
"Oh."
Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
We sat and talked for hours about all of our memories with Doug.
"I remember when I first got here I was totally lost in school. Doug came up to me and said he would help me. It turned out we had every class together and he lead me to each one, until I knew my way. He was my best friend."
"I know Iggy."
We sat in silence for a few minutes.
"What time is it?" I asked.
"It's-Oh my, it's 12:00. Your family must be wondering where you've gone." she said.
"No, they know I'm here."
"Well you should go Iggy. It is very late."
Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
How to save a life
How to save a life
"Ok." I said and we both got up. Mrs. Altman walked me to the door.
"Iggy?" I turned to her. "Would you like to speak at Doug's funeral?"
"It would be my honor to speak."
"Thank you."
"No thank you. For everything. You are like a mother to me, and for that I thank you."
"Iggy, don't be a stranger around here."
"I'll be back every weekend" I said with a smile.
"Good bye Iggy. I love you."
I love you too."
Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
How to save a life
I decided to walk home. When I got there Max and Fang were waiting up.
"You didn't have to wait up you know." I said.
"We know, but we wanted to anyway. How is she?" Max said.
"She is getting there, but it's gonna take a while for everyone to get better. She asked me to speak at his funeral."
"That's nice. Are you going to?" Fang asked.
"Yeah. Well I'm going to bed." I said.
"Ok Iggy," Max said. She got up and hugged me. "Goodnight, I love you"
"I love you too Max." Then Fang gave me a hug.
"Goodnight Iggy. I love you man."
"I love you too Fang. Goodnight guys."
I walked up to my room and fell into my bed. I fell sleep thinking of Douglass Altman. My best friend.
Ok so I'm writing this today, to tell you about a boy named Doug Altman
He was a year ahead of me in school, but on August 8th 2009, tragedy struck. Doug and his dad were flying to Ocean, City New Jersey, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was a privet plane, and his uncle was the pilot. They were flying over the Hudson River in New York, and at the same time an sight seeing helicopter, carrying 5 Italian tourists and the pilot, was flying over the Hudson River. Th Plane Collided with the helicopter, and both of them plunged into the river. Out of the 9 people in that collision, not one survived. So far, I've only heard that they have found four of the victims bodies. All of my friends at home pray that three of them are Doug Altman (16-years-old), his dad, Daniel Altman (49-years-old), and his uncle, Steven Altman (60-years-old). The rest of the Altman family is in our hearts and prayers. Doug Altman, Daniel Altman, and Steven Altman, may you rest in peace. You are gone, but not forgotten. I am sad to say, that i did not know Doug and his family, but I share the hurt and the sadness. Everything happens for a reason. We may not always like what happens, but it happens for a reason. I know you are watching over us Doug. We miss you and you will always be in our hearts and prayers. We will take care of your family. So goodbye for now, until we meet again. Rest in peace Doug.