after sunday's apple picking, we passed by a cemetery and decided to check it out. i could see the older section in the back, and just wanted to skip the newer part until i saw the above unusual grave. this is the grave of erin elizabeth goddard. she was only 17 when she died in a car accident. this is all i could find about her, from the find a grave website: Miss Goddard was a senior at Westford Academy, where she was a cheerleader and captain of the Senior Girls Powder Puff Team. She also played on the academy softball team and was active in Students Against Driving Drunk. She once worked in the Lowell summer youth employment program at Westford Town Hall." the only other thing i could find is that the westford academy has a "erin elizabeth goddard memorial award", which is given to a graduating senior pursuing further study in english.
the note she holds in her hands says: "friends" erin goddard. my love for all them they may never see. but it does exist and i insist that they'll forever be a part of me." i wonder whether she wrote that, and whether that is her handwriting.... the stone, the note, everything makes me wonder about this girl.... [after a comment, which you can read below, from erin's mother, here is a link to a youtube video of erin. and indeed, she did wrote the note, and that is her handwriting]
after taking a few pictures, we went back to the car and i already felt a bit uncomfortable as there was once again a policecar driving around (i tell you, if you need police assistance, go to your local cemetery, thats probably where they are hanging out). he came driving by, and just like in the movies, he stopped, opened his window, making tim do the same. he then asked whether we knew her. tim said no, and i was afraid he would send us away/get mad/do whatever crazy unexpected thing cops do in bad movies. but he just started rambling that he knew the person mowing the grass at the cemetery, and that that person experienced some weird things, "ghosts and stuff, you know". and that it was very sad, such a young girl, and that there was another young girl a bit further..... :( he completely ruined my mood, and we just left after that, did not even check out the old section!
for a listing of the other taphophiles, go here!
