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The blond girl reached Google’s top 25 most-searched items on the night she died.  (Google lets you know when you’ve searched one of them.)

In the wee hours, I Googled her name, in order to put to rest a rumor that she had died.  Rest hardly came.

CHICAGO — Blond girl squashed.

Black ‘n white on breaking news.  

My reaction set in gradually.  I told no one.  Then I told those I trusted.  I stared at the money in my bank accounts.  I actually prayed.  I stopped outside a church in the middle of a run and tried to talk to a statue.   I took a wild vacation. I tried to prove, to myself, life is short.

Eventually I forgot about her. 

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Approaching the end…