Today I looked up an old friend who I've been out of touch with for a long time.

[milestogo]

We shared an apartment in the 80s, and I visited her when she first moved to another state. That was the last time I saw her. We kept in touch for a few years after that, but after a while we stopped.

I found out today that she went missing in October of 1996. She disappeared one night after she had last been seen at work. Her car was found 6 blocks away. No signs of a struggle. Neither she nor her purse were ever found.

She is presumed dead. They never had much to go on. Its kind of shocking that someone I used to know well just vanished like that. And its really sad.

[empedocles]

1. If you've ever gone to a decennial school reunion - a lot of surprises and disappearances also.

[Squinch]

2. Wow. I am sorry. That is so disturbing.

[Jeebo]

3. Sometimes people just disappear for some reason of their own.

Some years back -- oh, I don't know, it must have been 20 years ago at least -- I heard in the news about a woman who had been missing for years. Everybody thought she was dead and that nobody would ever know what had happened to her. I think this was in the Pacific northwest somewhere. Well, years and years later, she turned up teaching school somewhere in Alaska. I barely remember this, because it was just a momentary blip in the news cycle.

-- Ron

[BComplex]

4. That's seldom how those things turn out. But I'm glad someone turned up once!

[SheltieLover]

5. Sorry to hear, Miles!

[milestogo]

6. Thanks, SheltieLover.

[SheltieLover]

7. You're welcome, Miles.

I had a similar experience recently with a cousin who had apparently suicided. It is really sad. 🙄

[milestogo]

8. Oh, I am sorry.

Life is hard.

[MissB]

9. I'm so sorry!!!

That’s awful.

I looked up a childhood friend today. Last id heard she’d gotten married. Apparently she divorced and remarried and has 4 kids. Looks like she divorced her second husband too and has come out as a lesbian. She seems happy, which is fantastic. Her second ex appears to be a Republican. Makes me happy to think that not only did she divorce him but she found happiness with another woman.

I’m not going to contact her though. It’s been 35 years.