Working here you get involved and know the lives of the students that work for you. It is just the way it is. You are involved. Their classes, their friends, and their families at home, their boyfriend/girlfriends are all things that they share with you. They look up to you and they look to you for advice and guidance. You become a mentor, you become family, and you become a big brother.
I can hear her so clearly, in her best 12 year-old boy going through puberty voice, Andi would sing the words to “Closing Time” by the group Semisonic.
Andi Parhamovich worked in my office as a student writer for almost 2 full years and instantly she made an impression. She was an outgoing go-getter and reminded me of a female Alex P. Keaton. She was determined and focused and knew what she wanted to do, but she could also be shy, vulnerable and insecure. She liked to put up a tough façade, but we knew she was a big softy. She was someone who you could kid and joke around with and she would definitely tease back. I am not sure I know of anyone who has worked in this office that loved working here more than Andi, and the funny thing is, is after the first year, she hardly did any work. She just liked being here and hanging out. We actually didn’t have enough money to pay her and had to ‘fire’ her, but she still came in every day to just hang. I remember going out to a bar here in town one night and seeing ‘conservative’ Andi hanging out (that was something we never thought we would see) she was drinking and having a good time. We actually did our best to embarrass her (like good big brothers would do) as we danced around her and made her feel the whole bar was looking at her. Her face turned 5 shades of red, but she took it all in stride. She was not a touchy feely type of person, and it was always fun to give her a hug or put an arm around her to watch her squirm a little.
Andi came back to Marietta a few years ago to go to lunch with myself and another co-worker at Marietta at the time, Tim (who was in charge of the writers). At the time Andi was working in NY with Miramax, and when she came to visit she brought Tim and I Cold Mountain CD’s and press kits. At lunch we peppered her with questions of what movie stars she had met and what they were like. She had matured a great deal between graduation and that winter lunch, as most people do and looked more like a professional woman than the college junior hanging in my office.
Andi died on Wednesday, January 17, 2007 in Baghdad when a three-car caravan she was in was ambushed. She was working with a group in Iraq called the National Democratic Institute (NDI) as a communications specialist advising Iraqi political parties on how to reach out to voters and constituents.
There are so many thoughts that run through your head in a time like this. War and the causalities of it always seemed close and real, but now seem more real than ever. A friend was lost today and I am not sure why. Andi was there because she wanted to be. She felt that she could make a difference and I am positive that in the time she was there, she did.
Andi, I will miss you. I will miss knowing that at some random time an e-mail from you might pop up. You left an impression on me and when I think of you I can’t help but smile. God Bless, my friend.
6 comments:
i feel so bad to know the passing away of your good friend Andi.... u will surely miss her ... her thoughts will be in your mind in the form of golden memories...!
How incredibly sad! I hope you are able to send your blog to her family. I'm sure they would find comfort in knowing how much you thought of her.
I've been sitting here in my office all day looking at the photo of the three of us and thinking about the caption Andi had engraved on the frame: "Closing Time." I've been frustrated trying to articulate how this tragedy makes me feel. And then I read your comments, Ryan, and all I can say is that I couldn't have said it better myself.
I lived with Andi in Hoboken for about a year and remained "kindred spirits" ever since. I honestly can't believe this is true...knowing Andi and her view on life, there is a larger purpose behind her death. I miss her and hope she's smiling on the other side.
I was Andi's first grade teacher. I also work with her father. He and I often talked about what she was doing and how proud she made him(and me through knowing of her accomplishments). I feel deeply saddened that such a special young woman is gone. It seems that Andi has always approached each opportunity to "make a difference" with unflagging passion. Her tenacious spririt was even evident at the age of 6! Andi, I pray for those who love you. Know that those you touched in this world will mourn your loss.
Hi Ryan,
You probably don't remember me, but I once lured a mutual friend of ours to the Brewery for his birthday party where you and TP had a plastic doll waiting for him at a table.
At any rate, I remember Andi well, as she was only a year or two younger than me at MC. She was bouncy and I was jealous of her energy. I'm still envious of what she accomplished in her short life. Your post about her is beautiful.
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