Last night I was happily playing X-Men Legends on PS2 when the phone rang around 11pm. The caller ID told me it was my mom. Bad news, I thought, it's 1 am over there. Without saying hello, I ask her why she's still up, she tells me Raheed was in a car accident and is gone, she's on her way to his uncle's house. Speechless, I hung up, I cried quietly then went to the computer to look at pictures from my brother's reception. I prayed and went to bed, but couldn't sleep so I watched Fresh Prince re-runs on Nick at Nite until I finally felt tired. The only thought in my mind the entire night was that Raheed Salam was 17.
****
This morning I called the family but of course they were in no condition to talk, I called my brother and let him know, then I saw that it was front page news . I've known Raheed since he was about six. Within the tight, convoluted family/friend groups that form so wonderfully by immigrant communities, Raheed's family was one of the closest. His father, Salam uncle was literally one of the first Bangladeshi's in the Dallas area. Salam uncle's younger brother went to school with my uncle in Dhaka, and I afforded them the same love and respect. I grew up with Raheed's cousin Fareen (who is getting married in June, at what will now probably be the saddest wedding ever), coloring together in Houston when we were 2. And even though he's six years my junior I consider her younger brother Ziyad to be one of my closest friends. To Ziyad, I've been a "boy", hanging out, smoking, bull-shitting, and I've been an older brother, guiding and protecting him. And I hate, hate, hate the fact that I couldn't protect him from this. Of all the life experiences I've passed on to him, from girls to college to jail, this is the one I had hoped I would never have to share. After all, in so many ways, I'm still not really over Keyur, so what can I offer?
Right now, I'm not sure, from this distance all I can do is pray and grieve and hope that Raheed's in a better place.
Posted by sheelpi at March 31, 2006 11:48 AMraheed is in a better place. someone as kind and generous could not be anywhere but in a better place.
Posted by: max at April 8, 2006 09:51 AMi agree with max. raheed is defenitely is a much betta place. i knew for only a year yet he has a great impact on my life.
Posted by: stephy at May 21, 2006 02:26 PMIt is very easy to forget the things that trouble you day in and day out. I am surprised to find myself looking at this post after all this time, yet still felt the same feelings as i would have felt reading it on march 31, the morning of. Truth is because, raheed will never leave this world, my heart or our hearts. And without a coat of sugar it makes me fuckin sick to my stomach when i realize this truth that he his gone every day. you ve always been there for me shizzle, and weve chilled, talkd for as long as i can remr. For that i cant love ya n thank u more. But it only saddens me because i wished i coulda been as good a brother to him as you were to me. i close in only askn for everyones prayers for him to never stop.
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