When Friends Die

It’s been a crazy 12 plus months. I’m a proponent of getting together to hang out with friends and reminisce about the old days. It helps me remember what I’ve forgotten thanks to brain surgery.

For awhile, we were doing good about meeting up at local spots and even at homes to laugh and enjoy everyone’s stories. But lately, we’ve been meeting up at the most unfortunate place, the funeral home.

Whether it be classmates, former coworkers or even new acquaintances, these folks are way to young to leave this rock.

I’ve talked about one my boys in a previous post, Dave. In high school he grew out his hair and had curls and we referred to him as New Wave Dave. When he gave me the grave news of his stage 4 cancer diagnosis, I knew I had to soak up as much of NWD as I could. We had dinners together and talked often. Last year, he started asking me to do his grocery shopping for him and assemble any products he ordered online. He talked about buying and RV and doing some traveling and asked if I would be his chauffeur, anything for you Dave. That never materialized as he left us on Thanksgiving day 2021.

A few months earlier, another classmate, Paul, had emergency surgery and died on the operating table. At the start of 2022, another classmate died suddenly from heart failure, Deb, due to a most unfortunate illness.

In July, “Stallion” or Dave, a former coworker, lost his battle with brain cancer. He was mentioned in my post when I visited NYC in 2016. He gave me the proper tour of NYC visiting Madam X & McSorley’s. Still to this day, I always order my pizza well done per his request.

And then 2 weeks ago, another classmate suddenly died in his sleep, Jeff. A good hearted man with an infectious laugh that was a quiet, gentle dude. He and his wife graduated with me and they were high school sweethearts from their freshman year.

I hate burying friends and all we former coworkers. I’m always telling everyone to get out and enjoy life as tomorrow is not given. Why do you think I live each day like it’s my last. It’s unfair to these friends to be gone so soon. I was hoping for the days to sit and harass the medical staff in the nursing homes after our loved ones shove us into those rat infested facilities. At that point, we won’t have access to adult beverages or drugs but make sure there’s an endless supply of viagra until my death.

This weekend we gather for a decades reunion to see old faces and laugh. Let’s remember those who are no longer with us and have a drink in their honor.

I’m sitting on my deck looking at Signal Knob thinking of my friends, getting a little misty. Wish they were here with me and the rest of the crew.

Let’s Enjoy Life Folks!

Cheers Y’all!