Single Word Sympathy

I have always found the word "condolence" to be a bit puzzling; a reason I have for not using it when expressing sympathy for someone who's dealing with the death of a loved one. To say to that person, "Condolence, (person's name)." somehow feels like giving an incredibly thirsty man hot chocolate to drink; its a nice gesture, but a glass of water would've been more appropriate.

Morbid

Last night, at around half past six, I received this text message:

Nga pala, baka ma-traffic kayo sa Tulyahan, may bangkay daw ng lalaki na nakita dun e. Na-salvage daw ata.(By the way, you might get stuck in traffic at the Tulyahan (River Bridge), they found a man’s corpse and think he was “salvaged”---a Filipino term for when someone is killed in an ambush.)

At the time that I was reading this, I was with an acquaintance from work, and we were making our way through the mall towards the bus stop. We were trying to talk as much and as loud as we could in the vain hope that we wouldn’t hear the latest female rendition of Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours” (Which is a perfectly acceptable song, by the way.). The kind of message that I’d received is not something you’d expect from a high school student who had only previously texted you to ask if you’re free to join in the benefit dinner the church is holding that same evening. Needless to say, when I read it, I stopped dead in my tracks, and, believe it or not, seriously thought: I hope it’s not my father.