Almost half a year ago, I posted a photo of flames churning out of that top floor apartment at right. Now they’re rebuilding. Good for them.

But what I remember most about that evening was that I logged on right after Jason’s This Hot Bitch post. It quickly became the most commented-upon piece in Chicago Metblog history. Understandably so.

The “hot bitch,” hoping to commit suicide, had just purposely driven her car into another car carrying three beloved area musicians: Michael Dahlquist, John Glick, and Douglas Meis. She survived. All three men were killed.

I knew none of them, but I remember that I spent days after that reading the Internet and papers, trying to thread together a paltry understanding of who they were. I asked for comfort and peace for those who were touched by their loss. I wondered at the inexplicable stupidity behind their deaths.

Then I did what bystanders do. I moved on.

So last week, when I drove by that building and saw it being renovated, I pulled over and snapped this photo. I remembered the three lives lost elsewhere that evening. I thought about how their friends and families must wish their loved ones, too, could be brought back with some yellow chuting and a dumpster.

Then, I drove on.