Friday, April 18, 2008
Moving On....
A very good friend of mine is in recovery. He has been on the bright side for almost 12 years. I call him on his Sober Day every year to congratulate him and wish him "Happy Anniversary!" He is always appreciative since, typically, your friends that still take a drink every now and again don't remember your Sober Day. This is someone I met one year after he went to Rehab. It just so happens that his sober day is the day that my best friend died in a skydiving accident. Of the same year. He doesn't know this, but, the first few years, that's how I remembered it.
"Steve died this day and it's also Donny's Sober Day". The last couple of years, I've remembered it as being Donny's Sober Day first. The memories of Steve are still there. I will never forget him. But, I have to put a positive spin on the day.
I like to think of that day as one incredible person losing his life; and another incredible person getting a second chance.
_____________________
I'm all maudlin today because I had a very freakin' hard day. And I could just put my little head down right now and sleep til Sunday. One of my regulars died on Tuesday. She had cancer. She was in remission and for whatever reason; she crashed. Her parents came in last week, they put her in Hospice on Monday and she died Tuesday night. She was 6 months younger than me. Which doesn't really mean anything. Cancer likes you no matter how old you are.
In either case, her co-workers had a memorial gathering for her at my bar tonight. I felt really bad because I had a certain impression of her. I only saw when she was by herself and drunk. As far as I knew; she didn't have any friends. She came in almost every night somewhat sober or half-way lit. If she was sober; we'd give her a couple. Otherwise, we would serve her straight Coke with her thinking there was Rum in there.
She was in Law Enforcement. The Big Kind. We knew that. Long story short: About 70 people turned out for her memorial. And alot of Big people turned out. Suffice it to say; you couldn't swing a cat in that room without hitting a badge and/or a gun/and or an ear-piece. (And/or a pair of cargo pants with a little radio in the pocket that had a wire that went up to said ear) . Everyone had great things to say about her. Apparently, she was in charge of the people in charge of guarding the people that run our government. As in, "Make sure Bush turns left at the corner & greets the people there before we take him into the car".
There were people there that had trained her and people that had been trained by her. There were ALOT of tears. I was so happy to see that she had another life outside of what I saw.
I always liked Stacy. I had the opportunity to have a real conversation with her a couple of times outside of work. I found her to be very engaging and incredibly intelligent.
I will miss her.
peace
RIP Stacy
"Steve died this day and it's also Donny's Sober Day". The last couple of years, I've remembered it as being Donny's Sober Day first. The memories of Steve are still there. I will never forget him. But, I have to put a positive spin on the day.
I like to think of that day as one incredible person losing his life; and another incredible person getting a second chance.
_____________________
I'm all maudlin today because I had a very freakin' hard day. And I could just put my little head down right now and sleep til Sunday. One of my regulars died on Tuesday. She had cancer. She was in remission and for whatever reason; she crashed. Her parents came in last week, they put her in Hospice on Monday and she died Tuesday night. She was 6 months younger than me. Which doesn't really mean anything. Cancer likes you no matter how old you are.
In either case, her co-workers had a memorial gathering for her at my bar tonight. I felt really bad because I had a certain impression of her. I only saw when she was by herself and drunk. As far as I knew; she didn't have any friends. She came in almost every night somewhat sober or half-way lit. If she was sober; we'd give her a couple. Otherwise, we would serve her straight Coke with her thinking there was Rum in there.
She was in Law Enforcement. The Big Kind. We knew that. Long story short: About 70 people turned out for her memorial. And alot of Big people turned out. Suffice it to say; you couldn't swing a cat in that room without hitting a badge and/or a gun/and or an ear-piece. (And/or a pair of cargo pants with a little radio in the pocket that had a wire that went up to said ear) . Everyone had great things to say about her. Apparently, she was in charge of the people in charge of guarding the people that run our government. As in, "Make sure Bush turns left at the corner & greets the people there before we take him into the car".
There were people there that had trained her and people that had been trained by her. There were ALOT of tears. I was so happy to see that she had another life outside of what I saw.
I always liked Stacy. I had the opportunity to have a real conversation with her a couple of times outside of work. I found her to be very engaging and incredibly intelligent.
I will miss her.
peace
RIP Stacy
