Oscar Brahnam.

To most that name means nothing. To me, the the person means nothing to me. I don't know who it is. I have no idea when he lived, when he died, if he's even dead, and what he did with his life.

I remember several years ago, I lived in a small area. I would say "small town", but it wasn't really a town or a community. There was a small gas station with two pumps and a dinner, and that was about as much as we had in this town. Not even a four-way stop.
At the time I worked in the closest town (Camden, SC) which was about 20-30 minutes away depending on the weather and the condition of the roads. Also, depending on if I got stuck behind some slow 80 year old on some of the winding roads. I use to drive out there at least four times a week. It was just a part time job in a crappy music store. Not much ever happened. I had innumerable "girl-friends", most of whom I don't remember their names if I even knew it at the time. There was nothing to do and we all just tried to kill as much time as we could.

On the way to work there was an old, run-down corner store with boarded windows and doors and a parking-lot with cracked gravel making way for weeds to grow through. The name on the board on-top of the building was "OSCAR BRAHNAM..." I could never read what it was after his name due to time and weather. But I always saw "OSCAR BRAHNAM" and always wondered who this man was who had this dead monument to his name out in the middle of no where.

This man lived, probably had kids, knew people, affected people's lives, and had a store. And even after all of that might've possibly ended for him, he still affected me by just having a name.
His name has stuck with me, almost haunted me in ways, burned onto my brain like a brand. The name is one I'll never forget, and I'm horrible with names. At the time I was making-out with girl who I could barely remember what they looked like let alone their name. Yet this man, with his ancient store and sign has stuck with my memory and made me wonder for the past five years, who is Oscar Brahnam.

Goodbye, Oscar Brahnam.