Around 3 AM the deliberations began.
A poker game had been started sometime after 2, but after one of the guys went out on the back porch for a smoke, the game halted.
Upon his return to the table he shared with the group what he had witnessed. At first none of us believed him, but then one of the others went outside and returned with a photo on his phone. His evidence confirmed the truthfulness of the story.
One of the gals, a mother of 3, had greater concern than the others for how the remainder of the night might play out if we didn't do something. As the discussion continued all I could think about is a dead body outside the window.
"I think we should call the cops." The mom insisted. But some of the others were hesitant. One of the guys suggested we put it to a vote. I didn't want to vote, nor did the others. They felt a consesus decision would be better.
While they deliberated, I kept thinking about that dead body outside the window - a young kid, once filled with dreams and aspirations, never to see the sun rise again. The primary cause of death: a love for getting f***ed up. The kid out back was still alive, but Nicole plummeted to her death 3 years ago.
It happened in New York - a 17 year old incoming freshman, daughter to the ambassador to Thailand. She wasn't one of my students, but after clubbing in the meat packing district she returned to the apartment complex where the university I worked for leases a good number of apartments.
Nicole continued drinking and then, wanting to get a better view of the city lights, she climbed out on the window sill. The story is she lost her balance while taking a photo. She fell 23 stories, landing right outside the window of one our student apartments.
The kid out back was still alive. But if he attempted to drive away...
* I initally wrote about the NYC incident here . (Click on "here" to link to story.)
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