This past Saturday Cordova High School Class of 1991 lost its second member.
Jermaine Cook was 40 years old, has two children, and served our country in the US Army for 15 years.We knew him as "Wormy". I don't know how he got that name, whether it was because he was short and wiry, or from his football skills, or from constantly moving, but it stuck.I remember him laughing, the group of guys he hung out with, and his rap performance in the school talent show (he did quite well).And those days still seem like yesterday.So this Saturday while I'm at a family reunion in North Carolina, my heart and thoughts will be in Alabama with my classmates as they cross the tracks to Mt. Zion church and weep and reminisce. I wish I could be there with them, to chat, to hug, to speak to his Mom. The night of our graduation, our principal challenged us to look around the room at everyone before we marched out, for that night would most likely be the last time we saw some of our classmates. We thought that was just dumb. But Mr. Cooper, once again, you were right. We started out that school year with 55, by graduation we had 52. And since that night, we've lost two more. I guess sometimes ignorance truly is bliss.
Jermaine Cook was 40 years old, has two children, and served our country in the US Army for 15 years.We knew him as "Wormy". I don't know how he got that name, whether it was because he was short and wiry, or from his football skills, or from constantly moving, but it stuck.I remember him laughing, the group of guys he hung out with, and his rap performance in the school talent show (he did quite well).And those days still seem like yesterday.So this Saturday while I'm at a family reunion in North Carolina, my heart and thoughts will be in Alabama with my classmates as they cross the tracks to Mt. Zion church and weep and reminisce. I wish I could be there with them, to chat, to hug, to speak to his Mom. The night of our graduation, our principal challenged us to look around the room at everyone before we marched out, for that night would most likely be the last time we saw some of our classmates. We thought that was just dumb. But Mr. Cooper, once again, you were right. We started out that school year with 55, by graduation we had 52. And since that night, we've lost two more. I guess sometimes ignorance truly is bliss.
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