*Steve Miller playing...probably "The Joker"...*
"Hey Nathan, we're going on a beer run--whatcha want?" (This is 1991.) "Whiskey, please." "Of course, no shit. You got It." "Here." Gives me $20 or more. "Cool, man. Thanks--be back in a sec." Found out that Nathan passed away today, and that really sucks. This cat was a constant in my life in the 80s and early 90s...and we kept in touch throughout the years via social media. Always a great guy. Always fun times. If I had a party, or Kent had a party, or Vinnie had a party, or if Nathan had a party and we maybe scuffed up his folks' pool table...we always convened. There was Steve Miller Band and Tom Petty. A bit of grass. Nathan preferred whiskey over beer--he was way before his time. And any road trip that transpired, Nathan was present and accounted for. Cat knew how to have fun. Hilary and Zach were phenomenally influenced by these escapades, I'm certain. In Little League he liked to throw high, inside fastballs. Sometimes they hit batters...lots of times they hit batters. But it was a goddamn blast. His pop was one of our coaches, and made the game so much damn fun. I certainly wasn't in his inner circle like Corey or Jennifer...or others I'm missing. But there for a beautiful seven years or so, Nathan was a damn good buddy, and I'm sad he's gone. I'm happy we stayed In touch. It's difficult to stay close once you throw that tasseled graduation hat in the air. We were all gloriously confined to where we grew up, and absolutely made the best of it--the way you're supposed to. We all had inner circles. We hung out with our own crew most nights...but those circles and crews crossed over every weekend and we had a really good time. As I think about Hilary and Zach and Corey and Jennifer and Nate's folks...I have to also think about living your life. Live it. And enjoy it. I'm no preacher, but it's pretty easy for me to see that life is a gift. So live it. You have no idea what might happen, be it a car wreck, a disease, or something else we all hate to think about. We hate to think about that shit--it's human nature. But when a buddy passes, it brings the reality of mortality to light and makes me want to make the absolute most of what I've got left. That doesn't necessarily mean Extreme Sports with Dan Cortez. It just means being a good dude. Doing the best you can. Living your life. Gonna miss you, bud. Say hi to Slayden and Boner for me. You guys are gonna have a blast 'til we all get up there.
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AuthorI am Earl. Archives
May 2024
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