Sticks of Fire: a Tampa blog

In 1984, Cathy and I entered Chamberlain High School ready to take on the world.

Less than four years later, we left Chamberlain, along with most other students, forever changed.

Typical experiences were only part of it. We liked boys who didn’t like us back, experimented with our hair, learned to drive, and went from Madonna to Motley Crue in the blink of an eye. Our home lives were normal in that we both had divorced parents and felt horribly misunderstood.

Other experiences weren’t so typical.

Stephanie was Cathy’s best friend and their friendship made life easier for both of them. They did everything together. Stephanie’s outlook and charm filled the gap between disaffected youth and disapproving parents and Cathy cherished her above all other friends.

Senior year, Stephanie drove Cathy home after school one day. This time, Stephanie couldn’t stay, she had to stop at work before heading back to chorus practice. Stephanie never made it back. She was abducted in the Carrollwood parking lot between her car and the drugstore where she worked.

Days followed where everyone felt confused and scared. Where did she go? Stephanie wasn’t the type to run away. We attended vigils and Cathy spent weeks passing out fliers and hoping for the best. Tragically, Stephanie’s body was found, beaten to death, a month after her disappearance.

This week Oscar Ray Bolin is on trial for the third time for Stephanie’s murder. Cathy took the stand once more to describe that sad time in her life for another courtroom of strangers. After almost twenty years, Cathy was forced to remember how we went from carefree teenagers to frightened young girls and faced the man accused of causing such fear and panic.

Many people have been affected by Bolin’s violent acts committed so long ago. But he’s not the reason Stephanie’s loved ones are still grieving. Their reaction to loss was because they so loved a red-haired girl, her infectious laugh and the way she took care of her friends. Especially Cathy.

Like most girls from our high school class, Cathy and I grew into women - a blessing stolen from Stephanie. We know we’re the lucky ones. You can see that we know it, too. Just look behind our smiles.

UPDATE 2Nov2006 2:20pm: Guilty.

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