In the seventh grade I had a teacher named Mrs. Sweitzer.

She was the permanent substitute for my study skills class.

She taught me things like SQ3R and words like "reiterate".

Her eighteen year old son died in a tragic car accident around Christmas that year.

I went to the wake, it was very sad.

Every day for lunch she would pack two Raspberry Nutrigrain bars.

That was the first time I had ever had a nutrigrain bar.

I had lunch in her room every day, sometimes sitting in her closet.

I usually sat on the second shelf up, with the door closed.

At first she thought it was strange, but later on she understood.

Her closet, oddily enough was a safe place for me.

I was pretty "troubled" in the seventh grade.

I would sit there in silence for the whole lunch period.

I would sometimes even go in there when my classwork was done and just "be".

I've only seen her once since the seventh grade.

It was the end of 10th grade and during final exams, I had my license and everything.

I drove to her house, which I would pass everyday on the way school.

She showed me around her home, as she talked about her son and his friends.

I sat and played with her dog, Captain Courageous for a little bit.

I had met the good Captain before, she had brought him into school once for some sort of writing exercise.

She said she only wanted good things for me and to call her if I ever needed anything, anything at all.

I have not seen or spoken with her since.

She is a peaceful memory in a sea of sad and painful ones.