I’m barely holding the sobs in, and thinking about so much history with a dear friend. Trying to keep my chin up, but kicking myself for the feeling that I was not a better friend back to him. He understood when I left Arlington that I wouldn’t be around as much to hang out, but was very explicit about making sure to attend his parties every once in a while. Now, there will be a final party to end all parties in his honor, but that WON’T change the fact that I drifted away from the most entertaining and generous person I ever knew in the “scene”.
We shared so many awesome nights talking about every subject known to man, after most had finally crashed, it was like he was determined to outlast everyone at the parties he threw. It didn’t matter if you had a different opinion, he wanted to know about it, and why you thought that way, and what would make you change your mind about it. He might not have been subtle in any way, shape or form… but that was HIM. He saw who I was when I didn’t really even know myself, or my own path in life. He encouraged me in many ways to follow my heart, and enjoy what I had in life; no matter how awful I might think it was right now, it was bound to get better. Why not have fun in the meantime?
I have to keep positive, and think about the good times (lunch money/rumikub battles, antics with his girls, terrible/awesome/surreal bus-driving skills, crawling in the window to the apartment because we got locked out accidently from the party, the “Lorax” and Shakespeare recitations amid the groans of others who were too familiar with the poetry to name but a scant few), but everything circles back to the fact that he is GONE and we’re never getting him back. We’re never having those times again, I will not be able to give him one last hug and tell him that I cared about him, to thank him for being a good friend through thick and thin. For that I am incredibly sorry.
I can hear him now: “Quit all that crying, can’t you see there’s fun to be had? GAWD!”
Goodbye dear friend. You will be missed fiercely. I must be getting back to having fun like you’ve always wished.
Washington Post article (crime page)
Washington Post article…
Website Memorial…
Another Washington Post article.
