about logan

There were many things I liked and respected about Logan, but my favorite was his ability to use his intelligence without flaunting it. I remember sitting next to him on the plane on our way back from a debate tournament last fall. I had a Newsweek with a double-page map of the U.S. highlighting the midterm races in various states. I asked Logan about one campaign in particular as I was reading. He knew a surprising amount about it, so I picked a race with two candidates I had never heard of and mentioned it. He knew about that one as well. I started picking states at random, and for each one he was able to list the candidates, highlights about the races, and, more often than not, their current polling numbers off the top of his head from multiple sources. The thing about Logan, though, is that he never would tell you this information unless it was needed to make an argument for a debate round or if you blatantly asked him, as I was doing with my Newsweek. He didn’t store the information for bragging purposes. It was there because he was genuinely interested.

On the same flight, I finally admitted to Logan that though I had, yes, signed up for intramural flag football at Willamette and had had a few games, I still had no clue what the rules were. As in, I still wasn’t sure how points were scored or where I was supposed to go when the whistle blew. This would have been a good time for him to say, “Then why did you sign up?” or poke a lot of fun at me or mention that maybe I shouldn’t have left that football game we went to together our freshman year at halftime because I was bored. Instead, he just pulled down his tray table. Still in his shirt and tie, he used our makeshift field to explain, without sounding condescending in the least, the most basic rules to football.

It's a little over a year since Logan and I started dating again and soon it will be about a year since he passed. November is fuller of memories than most months-- some of which are great and some of which are harder. I wish I were better at writing; my head is busy with thoughts but I can’t spit out the right words. This Thanksgiving, though, I am (trying to) count family, my friends, and the good memories of a particularly close friend among my blessings.