To My Lost Friend
Walter Poirier was last seen in Bolivia four years ago this week. He disappeared while working for the Peace Corps in the Zongo Valley.
I'd like to dedicate this posting to my beautiful, fearless friend, who would patiently teach me how to play golf one minute and steal lawn ornaments from his neighbor's yards the next. As one of his friends said, "The only person I know who could be your worst enemy and your best friend in the same day."
Walter's pranks were legendary. But I will always remember him for the small kindnesses he showed, like the time he intentionally bowled gutter balls so his friend would not have the worst score on the lane. I'm certain it was that unselfish core that led him to the Peace Corps. He gave his life in the service of something greater than himself and, for that, I thank him.
But it's still hard for me to believe he's gone. Here's what I wrote in a column four years ago, after finding out he was missing. It holds true today.
It is impossible that anything horrible happened to Walter.
I firmly believe he is on an adventure still, wandering around in the mountains of Bolivia, taking the time to watch a sunset or enjoythe scent of the forest. Maybe he lost track of time or found a nice mountainside village where he wanted to hang out for a while.
A few days from now, he'll wander out of the woods, look around and say "What's the big deal?"
Walter Poirier would not be gone so easily.
posted by Sammy @ 11:51 AM
1 Comments:
Considering the relatively calm nature of revolutionary groups in Bolivia, this seems rather odd. The drug cartels don't really mess with anyone, and the was more true in the late 90s than today. There is always the possibility of random crime, but in the non-European parts of Bolivia such crime simply doesn't happen. They would have "ransomed" him if they wanted money. The fact that his body was never recovered, however, leads me to think that this wasn't an accident.
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