10 Years seems like Yesterday

His blond hair was cut short in stark contrast to the last time I saw him in High School. Back then, his hair was wild and long. But that afternoon, he was sitting in my kitchen with a Marine 'do and a guitar on his knee.

I remember the day was exceptionally hot, so he wasn't wearing a shirt. He proudly showed me his beautiful tattoos - ink he had earned, not just bought for fashion. I always knew he had a remarkable talent for music and I had heard him play before. But today, it was just him and I in my kitchen.

He told me I was special... a very special friend to him. We didn't know each other well, we had only really met in passing. But when he came home from Iraq and found out his name was on the Soldier's tree in front of my house, and when I greeted him with yellow roses at his home, he knew I was "cool."

He remembered the last musical he saw me in. I had forgotten he played in the band for that production.

His voice was sweet and hung in the air, the notes of his song wrapped around me like a comforting blanket. His toughened finger strummed the strings and I smiled without thought. I can't even remember the songs he played, but I remember how he made me feel. In that moment, I felt that he and I were kindred.

I had a glimpse into what would make this high school friend such an amazing man. Compassion. Humor. Valor. Fierce loyalty.

10 years ago, three men took him from me - from us all. 10 years ago, a wife lost a husband, a boy lost a father, a mother lost a son. And the world lost one of those amazing souls that graces us for only a moment, but changes it forever.

We lost you, Marc, but we didn't lose your memory. And we are all better people for the journey.

I miss you.


In Loving Memory
Marc Todd Atkinson
August 16, 1970 - March 26, 1999

http://www.odmp.org/officer/15232-police-officer-marc-todd-atkinson

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Are you KIDDING ME?

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Neb. deputies say man stuffed cat inside 'bong'

March 2nd, 2009 @ 12:43pm
By
ERIC OLSON
Associated Press Writer

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - A man who tried to mellow out his cat by stuffing her into a homemade bong is facing criminal charges - and catcalls from animal lovers.

Authorities cited a 20-year-old man on suspicion of animal cruelty Sunday after catching him smoking marijuana from a contraption that had a cat stuffed inside its 12-inch by 6-inch base.

The man told Lancaster County sheriff's deputies the 6-month-old female named Shadow had been hyper and that he was trying to calm her down.

The cat was taken to the Capital Humane Society, where she appeared to be in good condition Monday, executive director Bob Downey said.

"What the human mind doesn't invent, huh?" Downey said.

The suspect did not return voice or text messages left on his cell phone by The Associated Press.

Deputies discovered the cat trapped in the device after responding to a domestic disturbance call at a residence the suspect shares with his grandfather, Sgt. Andy Stebbing said.


Deputies resolved the dispute and left the house, but they returned minutes later after discovering there was an arrest warrant on the suspect for possession of drug paraphernalia.


Upon re-entering the house, Stebbing said, deputies saw the suspect smoking marijuana through a piece of garden hose attached to the duct-taped, plastic glass box, in which the cat had been stuffed.

"This cat was just dazed," Stebbing said. "She was on the front seat of the cop car, wrapped in a blanket, and never moved all the way to the humane society."

The suspect was cited for misdemeanor animal cruelty and taken to the Lancaster County Jail on the arrest warrant. He was released after paying a $400 fine.

Now he faces new charges for possession of marijuana and paraphernalia stemming from Sunday.

Stebbing said the animal cruelty charge could be raised to a felony if the cat dies or is found to have suffered injury.

Downey said tests would be done to determine whether the cat suffered lung damage.


"To the eye, the cat looks OK," he said. "It cowers in the back of its cage like it's a little bit afraid but, obviously, given the way it's been treated, that's not surprising to me at all."