Cut short...

My sister was in town this weekend. For my 30th birthday, I asked for both her and my mom to come visit me in San Francisco. That's all I wanted.

So come she did. I had all kinds of fun things planned for her, and she was all excited. I was going to outdo the good times I showed her last summer, on her first-ever trip to SF.

And the trip started off great -- birthday parties, good food, convertible rides up Highway 1 in glorious weather, splashing in the waves on the beach at Point Reyes, eating oysters by the docks, colorful SF neighborhoods and SF nightlife...

And then Sunday morning, as we were getting ready to walk out the door to go to Zeitgeist, her favorite bar, where a crew of my friends were assembled to spend the day reveling in the sunshine with pitchers of beer and tamales, all at her request...

Her phone rang.

Her friend Sean, back home in Detroit, was dead. He'd died in his sleep the night before, while we were partying at the 500 Club on Guerrero. He was 27 years old.

She stayed for 2 more days, and had her bittersweet Zeitgeist Sunday, and went to Alcatraz on Monday, before I put her on a redeye a day early so she could make his funeral. I know this boy was special to her. But still, I couldn't help but feel...

Jealous.

I really wanted my sister this week. I really wanted to do all the things I wanted to do. I tried really hard to banish my ludicrous jealous thoughts, while I told Sarah it was totally okay, I understood why she wanted to go home early... And yet I still couldn't help but silently scoff, "How could this kid go and die right now? Couldn't he wait just four days? Seriously? I've been struggling with starting my life over, living with MS, a million miles away from my family, for the last 2 years, and I don't get ANY TIME with my sister, and NOW THIS? What ARE the odds?"

Does this make me a bad person? I think it does.

Because today she told me they got the results of his autopsy. He died of a massive heart attack. He apparently had a heart condition his entire life and never knew about it. One of his arteries was completely blocked. He was a walking dead man from day one.

There was no waiting.

Sean, I only met you once, but I owe you an apology.

Rest in peace, brother.