I don't know her exact age at the time of her death, but I'd say she was within the range of 47 to 51 years old.
I haven't seen Janine since around 1985-86, when we were stationed at Fort Stewart, Georgia. We both had the same MOS if I remember correctly, though I can't recall seeing her at Fort Devens for training. It may have been a timing issue - perhaps she was there after I had already left.
Janine and I reconnected on Facebook about four years ago and chatted back and forth from time to time via the social networking site as well as email. She was married and living near Portland, Oregon, and I am married and living near Portland, Maine.
A very pretty girl, Janine was the object of much eyeballing by guys in our unit at Stewart. She hooked up pretty quickly with one fellow and ended up marrying him. I was dating another woman who I married as well. Had circumstances been different... who knows? But her recent husband was not the guy she originally married, and I have no idea, having never asked, what happened to the first.
More than attractive, Janine was sweet and friendly, and I found her to still be so twenty-seven years after I last saw her. She was a fan of my writing and purchased a couple books from me. She also posted a very nice review on one of my Amazon Kindle stories.
I once told her I loved her after she sent me a particularly nice message. It was a casual "love ya" like one would tell a friend or family member. I felt a little strange doing so, because she was the first woman who was not my wife to whom I said that. But I meant it in a friendly, affectionate way, and she responded in kind.
That was in January 2013 and the last time we had any communication. She died in April 2013.
When I found out, I was stunned. I denied it, considered the possibility that it was some sort of twisted joke. On April 10, her husband posted this message on her Facebook timeline:
Today my beautiful angel Janine left this world. My your soul rest in peace and I hope you have found the pain free times you have been looking for!
RIP my sweet
Love always and forever
Bob xoxoxo
Another Army friend and his wife were closer to Janine than I was. I messaged him to ask what was going on. He told me a few things, but never came right out and stated exactly what happened. He didn't need to.
I could read reams of information in what he didn't say.
And now, as other former Army buddies find out, the reaction seems to be one of general consensus - shock and denial.
Like any grieving period, sadness came after the disbelief. I wished she had at least emailed me to say goodbye. Or that I had more recent communication with her. I had tried to get her to consider surgery, but she wasn't keen on the idea. Had I been more persuasive, maybe she'd still be alive today.
But how to persuade someone from 3000 miles away is beyond me.
I miss her, and I haven't even seen her for over 25 years.
Is this strange?
Now a bombing has happened in Boston, a letter with the poison Ricin has been sent to a US Senator, and the world just keeps getting weirder.
Goodbye, Janine.
Love ya.
