A lasting impression.
The clubhouse was quieter than usual.
Gianna sat at the table with Mikey and Nicholle. Bailey lay beside her chair, resting his chin on her shoe. Steve stood near the window, looking out toward the trees.
Slither walked slowly across the room on his little legs and feet. He could tell something was wrong.
“Is everyone okay?” he asked softly.
Steve took a breath. “I have some sad news. Our friend Bill passed away. He had been sick with cancer for a long time, and the doctors tried hard to help him. Bill fought through a lot, but his body could not keep going.”
Gianna’s eyes filled with tears. Mikey stared down at the table. Nicholle reached over and held Gianna’s hand.
“Does that mean he’s not coming back?” Mikey asked.
Steve sat beside him. “Yes, buddy. When someone passes away, their body stops working, and they don’t come back. We’re going to miss Bill very much. He was a great friend and a great administrator for our club. It’s okay to feel sad, confused, or even quiet for a while.”
“Did we do something wrong?” Gianna whispered.
“No,” Steve said gently. “Nothing you did caused this. Cancer isn’t something you can catch from someone. Bill was sick, and it wasn’t your fault.”
Slither sat beside the kids. “You don’t have to find the perfect words right now. We can just be together.”
For a little while, nobody spoke. Bailey nudged Gianna’s hand. She stroked his ears, and a small smile appeared through her tears.
“I keep thinking about Bill on the CB radio,” Mikey said. “He always knew which way we should go.”
“He knew so much about off-roading,” Nicholle added. “He could look at a trail and tell us what to watch out for.”
“And he made those amazing digital Christmas light shows at his house and on his Jeep,” Gianna said. “The lights flashed and danced to the music. I remember standing there and not knowing where to look first.”
Steve nodded. “Bill loved sharing what he knew and making people smile. A lot of people cared about him.”
At the next club gathering, the members made a small memory table. They placed a photo of Bill beside a CB radio. Gianna brought a drawing of bright Christmas lights. Mikey drew a Jeep on a forest road, with a little speech bubble that said, “Copy that!” Nicholle added a card thanking Bill for teaching people to be careful and confident on the trails.
One by one, people shared a memory. Some made everyone laugh. Some made people cry. A few members found it hard to speak, so they stood quietly beside the table instead.
“Is it okay that I laughed when Mikey did the radio voice?” Gianna asked Slither.
“Of course,” he said. “Laughing at a happy memory doesn’t mean you miss Bill any less.”
Mikey looked at the CB radio. “I wish we could talk to him one more time.”
“I wish that too,” Steve said. “We can’t hear Bill answer us now, but we can remember the things he taught us and the good times we shared.”
The kids decided to make a small display for the club’s next holiday gathering. They would hang lights together and dedicate them to Bill—not because lights could take away the sadness, but because they reminded everyone of something he loved to create.
While they worked, Nicholle tied a string of lights around a display board. One end drooped almost to the floor.
“Looks like the lights are trying to go off-roading,” Mikey said.
Slither chuckled. “Then they’ll need a good guide.”
The kids laughed, and for a moment the room felt warmer. They still missed Bill. They knew they would miss him again tomorrow, and on other days too. Grief could come and go. Sometimes a memory might bring tears; another time, it might bring a smile.
Goodbye for now........
Before they left, Gianna stood by the memory table. “I’m still sad,” she said, “but I’m glad we got to know him.”
“So am I,” said Steve. “And when you feel sad, talk to someone you trust. You don’t have to carry it by yourself.”
Slither looked around at the friends gathered together. Bill had shared his knowledge, his radio conversations, and his amazing digital Christmas light shows at his house and on his Jeep with so many people. The club would keep sharing stories about him, and the kids would carry those memories with them.
