Who is the first person you knew, besides a relative, who died?

Antonio “Pinky” D’Ambrozio.

He dove from the ledge

hit something other than water and in a few days

came up floating more violet than pink.

How well did you know this “Pinky”?

Only by the recognition of his face.

How old were you both when "Pinky" drowned?

About the same age. However old we were in the 9th grade.

Did you witness the drowning?

No. Somebody told me the day after.

Who told you?

Cousin Delores Pieroni, older sister to the knuckleballer.

You said: the "knuckleballer"?

Okay. Did you attend “Pinky”s wake?

I don't think I did.

But I'm not sure I didn't.

How could you forget a thing like that?

As I said. I knew "Pinky" only

by the recognition of his face and I was told

it would be a "closed casket".

Oh. Okay. That makes sense.