i think korreena
is the bravest person on earth.
if your mom died in a fire, what would you do? because korreena can stand in the middle of a room amidst co-workers and students, faculty and administrators and make jokes about the millions of cans of tomato-soup and beets she's gotten from her neighbors and friends since the flames enveloped her house. she can stand there and laugh about her secret plans to paint the entire campus red with the gallons of sympathy canned goods lining her cupboards. she can entertain the crowd and still be real about it, gnawing on her chartwells chicken wing.
and the next minute, she can cry. in front of everyone. i can see the tears creeping out from the corners of her eyes, and i can look at her and ask what happened and expect to get a completely matter-of-fact answer. there's no bullshitting with korreena.
"i don't know," she says. "they just wouldn't wake up. i did. but you know, in some small way mom died a real viking death - going up in flames rather than being buried in the ground. i think she would've been glad she died the way she did."
i don't know why linda died. but i do know that today i felt more a part of this community than i ever have before in my entire three and a half years here.
we'll miss you linda.
if your mom died in a fire, what would you do? because korreena can stand in the middle of a room amidst co-workers and students, faculty and administrators and make jokes about the millions of cans of tomato-soup and beets she's gotten from her neighbors and friends since the flames enveloped her house. she can stand there and laugh about her secret plans to paint the entire campus red with the gallons of sympathy canned goods lining her cupboards. she can entertain the crowd and still be real about it, gnawing on her chartwells chicken wing.
and the next minute, she can cry. in front of everyone. i can see the tears creeping out from the corners of her eyes, and i can look at her and ask what happened and expect to get a completely matter-of-fact answer. there's no bullshitting with korreena.
"i don't know," she says. "they just wouldn't wake up. i did. but you know, in some small way mom died a real viking death - going up in flames rather than being buried in the ground. i think she would've been glad she died the way she did."
i don't know why linda died. but i do know that today i felt more a part of this community than i ever have before in my entire three and a half years here.
we'll miss you linda.