PICU

There is a corner not far from where I live, that a young teenager died. How? I can only speculate the cause of his tragic death. For more than a year, friend's of Picu or Piku (I see his name written both ways) have been coming to an intersection to leave a nylon canvas and artificial flowers to commemorate the passing of a well loved friend. I don't know anything about Picu. I don't know his real name or his age or why he was at an intersection that is not traffic heavy but deceptively dangerous.

I have scoured the internet, Sant Cugat newspapers and done searches on the graffiti artist  who creates the canvases, and remain empty handed for news on Picu. My altra meitat tells me it's probably because he was poor and nobody cares about the humble dying and reporting it. My Picu/Piku searches have led me to terminally ill children or Japanese characters. No sites lead me to news of a vibrant teenager abruptly immortalized.

Driving on Avinguda de Can Bellet and passing by Picu's memorial, I wonder about his grieving mother, the music on his MP3, how many friends he had on Facebook or Fotolog, and why life denied him longevity. Did he get to fall in love?

One day that empty lot with the chain link fence will disappear and construction of an apartment building will begin. What then? Will Picu's friends still leave flowers or tag the walls of those future apartments? I don't know, perhaps his friends will move on in life and their memory of Picu will begin to fade. If ever his friends find my blog, I hope they surmise he will always be present through pictures of their commitment in keeping his memory alive.

Estimat Picu,

I didn't have the pleasure of knowing you and I am sorry I only came to know about you driving through a bland intersection. There is one thing I know for sure. You were an important friend to a group of people who remember you constantly and monitor the state of the acrylic canvas, fading spray paint, and bright artificial flowers quickly worn away by wind and rain. Know that you live in their hearts.

Descansa en Pau,

California Noia