I made some of the best friends during the summer of 2007.  My buddy James and I were frequent patrons at The Mansions.  Our bartender, Tina, was super sweet and we became fast friends.  Her then bf JM and sister Jess also worked there.  Tina embraced our friendship…everyone else was just stuck with me.  One night they had a small group of friends visiting.  That’s when I met Joey.  Here stood this 5 ft. nothing guy, solid as a rock (I know because I later hugged him to know what it felt like to hug a boulder), with more personality than most can handle.  He was quick-witted, sarcastic, and flippin hilarious.  He reminded me of the Energizer Bunny..he was all over the place, smiling, laughing, and trying to push peoples buttons (in a friendly way).  He said a few things to me, leaned in with that mischievous smirk, and waited for my reaction.  It is like he was testing me, and I passed. 

     As time progressed, my relationships with these awesome people grew.  When I moved back to Houston a few months later, Joey and I ran around the town quite a bit.  This is when we started having deeper conversations and I learned more about the man behind the muscles.  Regardless of how intense our discussions got, he always found a way to bounce things back to the lighter side.  I remember going to this random club that was absolutely empty, but “Yoey” was all of the fun any establishment could handle.  Before I knew it, he had all the waitresses dancing on the bar and shots flowing.  Joey is synonymous for FUN.  Jess, Joey and I also cruised around The Heights in my Smartcar causing some ruckus.  Funny..that Smartcar fit him like a glove.  One year, Joey even hosted my birthday party at his house, and we had a blast.  A simple gesture to him was monumental to me. 

     I was fortunate enough to catch up with him a few months ago.  Even though we had not talked for a while, we picked up where we left off.  That is true friendship in my eyes.  Joey was always there to back up his friends.  His sense of humor and charisma are unmatchable.  He walked like a Spartan warrior; confident, and with a purpose.  His sincerity was real.  Thinking about Joey reminds me that although we are imperfect as humans, we can be perfect souls.  I pray that he knows the impact he had on me. 

Joeybear: The man.  The myth.  The legend. 

HVJIV 2/20/15