The headlines read:

LOCAL WOMAN KILLED IN BARROOM BRAWL!

The letters were an inch tall, reached all the way across the front page. There was a photograph, an old one. She looked so young, and a bit shy. The clothes and the hairdo, strange and out of style. They spelled her name wrong, she hated to be called Caroline. That was her pet peeve. It was spelled right, Carolyn, in the obits on page 6b. I suppose that's where it counts anyway. Well, at least she made the front page, the headlines no less! Always said she was going to be famous someday, though I don't think this was exactly what she had in mind. When I finished reading all the gory details I got down the high school annual, not that I needed to, mind you! I knew it all by heart. Five pages of pictures, every award, every honor, including most likely to succeed. There were pictures of us hamming it up for the camera as usual. After awhile I closed the book, went into the kitchen and made myself a "root beer float" the rage in those days, and our favorite Friday afternoon treat. As an afterthought, I made one for her, and drank them both. Carolyn never did like to drink alone. Neither do I. Cheers! Old friend!!

By Charlotte Perry