Written Feb. 2, 2010 ROBIN DANIELLE POOLER

Seven years ago today my best friend lost her life.  I remember the day so well.  We had planned to go to the First Sunday at the Hideaway.  I went to church as usual but this particular Sunday I didn’t stay the whole service.  I think I was just excited to be going out with Robin.  Ain’t too many times we went to the club.  She had just moved back home.  We went out the week before and had a ball so I think we both were looking forward to going to the Hideaway together.  I used to live for First Sundays.  When I left church I went by her momma house to make sure she didn’t forget our plans.  She wasn’t there.  I road by Dot house but she wasn’t there either.  Not an hour later she came by my house.  We talked, ready to hit the club.  I think it was about 7 or 8:00 p.m. and Avalon calls.  I’m thinking he’s calling to tell me he coming over so I won’t go out tonight. All I can remember is him saying you heard about Robin.  I was like Oh, God what know.  She just left here.  I thought he was going to tell me about some gossip he heard in the street.  Before she got locked up and moved to Spartanburg her life was not what anyone would have expected of her.  When he said she got shot and she dead, I was like what she just left her.  Then my phone beeped and from the number I knew it was someone else calling to tell me something.  It was Tiffany Brown.  When she said it that’s when I believed it.  I got off the phone with her and called Metia.  She answered the phone crying, telling me to come over there.  I just broke down.  I wanted to go over there but Avalon thought it would be best if I didn’t.  After awhile they asked me if I still wanted to go out.  I said yeah.  I went out because in the back of my mind I was waiting for Robin to show up but she never came.  Til this day it still hurts like hell that I don’t have my friend with me.  We had so many good times together.  So many memories and experiences.  Every single day I miss her.  Every single day I need her.  I need her to talk junk to me and tell me not to waste my time thinking about so sorry nigga, because I’m better than him.  She was so good at not wearing her emotions on her selves.  She tried to teach me but I always been a sucker for love.  When we were in the fifth grade we were out to Washington street park, it was full of people.  She decides to call Willie Peebles the incredible hulk.  Talking about how her, Bernard and geek used to call him that all the time.  Well we didn’t have Bernard and geek with us the day and he chased us through the graveyard.  You talking about somebody was scared.  I ain’t never screamed so hard for my momma in my life.   I loved when we would cut a block on foot.  We’d walk from James Ave.  down 8 th street, up myrtle street to manning then to Big M.  From Lincoln Village to Security all day.  We would see everybody.  Those were the good ole days.  And let’s not talk about the trouble we used to get into. From fights to cutting school to go eat yogi bear.  It wasn’t nothing for us to walk off campus if we were in the mood for some yogi bear or we felt that being at school that particular day was just beneath us.  We missed so many days our junior year that I didn’t get credit in two of my classes because I missed too many days.  The first day of our senior year we didn’t go to school but somehow ended up catching the bus home.  You couldn’t tell us nothing.  Charo y Conchita mejor amigas siempre.  Sometimes I go back and read letters that she wrote me.  We thought we were so grown.  She was a realist and even back in high school that girl was wise beyond her years.  When she was locked up, she was the one giving me all the advice and encouraging words when it should have totally been the other way around.  She was always the strong one.  Never see her sweat, there was never a day in her life where she would let something or someone break her down.  NEVER.  We had become friends in the fifth grade.  We found our way back to each in junior high then again at high school.  From tenth grade to senior year we were like glue.  Ain’t too many times you seen one without the other.  Nothing ever came between us especially no dudes and we have shared a few.  After that we may have went our separate ways but we were still best friends.  I was busy having babies and she was having fun.  I still have the card she sent me at morris and she was at auburn when I told her I was pregnant.  She had just moved back home a couple of weeks before she died.  There was a snow storm in Spartanburg and she didn't like being up there by herself in those conditions.  Right before she died we were at my house and she was playing with La.  And I never known Robin to actually like kids but she surprised me when she said she wanted to be a momma.  Clearly she would have been a good momma.  It would have changed her hard exterior completely.  Seeing her play with La was a side I never seen.  She was having a good time.  And for some reason La swears that she remembers this.  My baby was only two years old at the time.  But she describes it like it was yesterday.  When she died I didn’t work that whole week.  It was too hard to go and wait tables and smile in people face when my heart hurt so bad.  Avalon was really nice to me probably the most caring he ever been towards me.  He knew how close we were so I guess he felt sorry for me.  True friends are so hard to find.  I hate that my friend is gone.  I’ve have since to meet another like her.  I doubt I ever will.  RIP Robin Danielle Pooler.  I LOVE YOU. 2-2-2010