What We Learned

Thirty years later, you still think about that weekend. Not every day, but often enough. The four of you did drift apart, just like Vinny’s brother predicted. High school, college, careers, families – life pulled you in different directions.

But for one weekend in the summer of 1985, you were heroes. You found Danny Morrison and brought him home to his family. You stood up to bullies. You discovered that friendship could make you braver than you ever thought possible.

Gary became a writer, just like he always said he would. Vinny moved away and started a family. Tom… well, Tom had a harder time of it, but he found his way eventually.

And you? You learned that growing up doesn’t happen all at once. It happens in moments – moments when you choose to do the right thing even when it’s scary, moments when you stand by your friends, moments when you discover that the world is bigger and more complicated than you thought.

Sometimes you drive past the old railway bridge and remember what it felt like to be twelve years old and absolutely certain that friendship could conquer anything.

Maybe it can. Maybe that’s the most important thing you learned that summer.