As I recall, it was twenty years ago today, the first Saturday in that June, when my friend and fellow bartender, Hazel passed away. I'm sure I probably thought what I so often do when I hear a loved one has passed, that we can be thankful that their pain has ended and they will suffer no more in this life. Never has that thought been shown to me to be more true, more quickly than when Hazel died. Her death that Saturday meant that she did not witness the events of the days which followed, for it was just the next day that what soon became known as the Miller's Reach Wildfire got it's start. Hazel just missed out on the sight of fifty foot flames devouring her community, neighbors put in handcuffs in the enforcement of forced evacuation, shelter which was denied to families being then given over to a family wedding dress. I simply use three of my own memories from the experience as example, I'm certain Hazel would have had her own.
The timing also meant that Hazel's death did not garner its proper respect at the time. If there was a service held in a timely manner, I was unaware of it. So, as was custom to me at the time, for one last time, I do say "Say goodnight, Hazel.".
