RESPECT

I want this to come off in the right light. I have questioned writing this blog and may add another as it comes to me. I dont want to this to seem distasteful whatesoever, but I keep thinking about my friend. I can only see the good memories.

My dear friend has passed away. I hadn't been as close to my friend in the last few years. You know how life gets in the way. People have things going on and my friend had been battling with leukemia.

I talked with him a couple of months ago. Things had since turned tougher for him.

He is the first person from my what used to be close knit friend group to pass away. He was only thirty one years young. As a matter of a fact he had only just recently had a birthday. It is very hard to think about, but I keep making myself do it. Life is so short. It is so precious. Chris was a precious person.

I remember meeting Chris in the ninth grade in Mrs Bain's science class. We had met in middle school but didnt really know each other.

I wasn't doing good in the class. I didnt care about it at all. We both joined the science club to earn some extra points. The group was about to take a trip to the space and rocket center in Huntsville and we had a blast.

I can specifically remember us talking about the particular jeans we were both wearing. No one else had a pair. Its funny the things you remember.

Chris picked me and a few friends up that weekend to go out and find a party or at least time to kill. Tyrone and Dwayne were there. A more senior classmate bought us some cheap wine. Chris didnt drink any at all. Tyrone threw up later that evening from too much to drink.

I remember that we drank too much as young people, but Chris never drank. He was always the funniest guy around though.

One summer while still in high school Matt, Ian, Chris and I spent a week in Gulf Shores. I remember that as the best summer of my young life.

Someone always lost something at the beach. The something was usually keys. Chris and I had a knack for finding things like this, even at night. We went to the beach several times through the years and we always found ourselves finding someone's keys.

That first summer in Gulf Shores Chris met a girl from Kentucky who he became enraptured with. I can remember him talking about flying a helicopter to see her like it was yesterday.

Chris and a few of us panned for gold another summer. We didnt find anything with any value, but I will always have the memories of driving around the area between Hollis Cross Roads, Heflin and Randolph County looking for gold. We drove up every dirt road we saw looking for a stream to pan. We just knew there was gold in them there hills.

We always had parties at Chris' house. Dwayne fell through the ceiling one night. We had been in Chris' attic. I dont remember why but Chris led a bunch of us into the attic. We were in exploration mode I guess.

We were always in exploration mode with Chris. I recall him leading us through the Weaver Caves. We went as deep into those caves as anyone had gone. We found a room in those caves with clay and a little water to mix with clay. We rolled the clay and formed out our names and stuck them to the walls. I wonder if those names are still there. I am betting that they are and it makes me want to crawl back through those narrow spaces to trace my steps and see them one last time.

Forgive me, I can't help but tear up a bit.

Once while still in high school we thought there was some kind of conspiracy going on with the administration. Chris told us of rumors of an underground at the annex building. The army had set up camp in the in campus parking lot one night and we set out to scope out what was going on. We eventually persuaded the teachers to take us to this supposed underground area. Nothing really turned up.

Nothing ever really turned up, but it was always an adventure.

I worked at a book store with Chris for a couple of years. We moved to Auburn at the same time. Chris was always around and he was good for a belly ache of laughter. He had such a gift of mischievious, sarcastic, good natured humor.

Oddly enough, Chris and I moved back from Auburn about the same time. His heart had been broken and at one of his parties I remember finding him hiding in an old freezer. I thought he was just trying to be funny. He didnt have to try to hard.

Later on, he lived on one side of the old apartment at Christine Avenue in Anniston. We all lived in one side of that duplex at one time or another.

The last time I really remember seeing Chris was at Ian's bachelor party. Tyrone and I showed up and Chris was the only one there already waiting. He had a box of a dozen glazed Krispy Kreme donuts and told us nonchalently that he had leukemia but that he was better now.

He was his old funny self. He said some things to me that night that were as funny as anything I remember anyone ever saying to me. He didnt try to be funny, he just was. There was no effort whatsoever.

Chris always laughed uncontrollably at my Jerry the Llama stories and ee cumming's goat footed ballon man. I WILL always remember him. He will forever hold a special place in my heart and I think of him constantly right now.

Forgive me as I tear up right now. I miss my friend.

Chris, I will always love you as a brother.

Robby