Dear Duc

I miss you, hommie. Looking at your little brother’s engagement photos makes me realized that almost a decade has passed. I still remember it like yesterday when we found every possible reason to cut school. We cut school because we needed the sunlight to tint your little red-hot ride. We cut school to play Tien Len at your crib. We cut school just because school’s breakfast sucked, and then we raced each other all the way to Philly to have Dim Sum. But hey, we made it through high school, didn’t we?

You were the craziest, man. That chick was jealous because I spent more time with you and the crew. Remember the Oriental Club’s trip to Montreal? We drank, gambled, bugged out at the arcades, and hit the clubs. Even though we couldn’t keep our eyes open the next day, our breakfast served by French-spoken waitresses in tight shorts and bras sure woke us all up. Yet the best part was when you made that stuck-up Julia unstuck while entertained us with your wack-ass muses during all those long rides.

The good old memories I will never forget, my brother. Shit done changed down here, dawg. Without you holding everyone together, we all grew apart. Luan moved to Cali like he had always wanted and married with three kids. The last time I talked to Tung, which was about five years ago, he was polishing nails and dropped out of Penn State. See what happen when you weren’t around to watch him? He kept his head in them boobs instead of them books. With your hustling skills and his brain, you guys would have pulled it through. It’s a damn shame because he was the smartest out of all of us. We copied his homework so much that we both failed on every Calculus exam.

I wish I could turn back the hand of time, and I wish that accident never happened. After you had drowned, I was sinking too, and it was your mom who pulled me back up. She told me that you would be happy if I succeed in school. I’ve done my best not to let you down, so rest in joy, my brother.

(A late eulogy)