Around 5:00 pm today, The Boy and three of his friends were at the house. They talked of Moses, Budha, Socrates, Plato, John Stuart Mills, and John Locke. Hefty stuff. They were preparing for their Philosophy exam tomorrow.
It's been many years since I studied philosophy and religion. I can no longer remember the details and quotes attributed to these figures. For a while, I listened to the boys talk over my head, debating who stood for what. They were in very serious discussion, weighing the merits of various arguments and what they would put on paper to defend them if such and such an issue came up.
Then Butterfly Boy said, "It's gotta be true. I received two text messages just now about the same thing. Heath Ledger died."
"What?" All the boys ran upstairs to the computer to look for the news. I turned my laptop on in the dining room.
It's true. Heath Ledger died today. An overdose or suicide. The guy was only 28. After Brad Pitt, he was my favourite Hollywood guy. He was a better actor than Brad, taking on more risky roles and playing them with a dark bend. It's his innate sadness and vulnerability that comes through in every photograph and on the screen. I can't believe he's dead.
I hate it when young talent dies. Because of drugs at that.
I gave the boys lasagna and salad for dinner. Whey they finished, they cleared the table and put their dishes in the sink. They thanked me for the snacks and dinner. At 8:00, they left for home. Each of them hugged The Boy goodbye. I hope none of them will find life so overwhelming that they have to resort to drugs. May they always have good friends to turn to for comfort and support when their families aren't around.
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