John Geilfuss
8 hrs ·
Matthew Townsend,
Over the past week, I’ve spent hours swapping your stories with Michael Fick over the phone. We’ve laughed, we’ve cried, we’ve cursed and we will probably do a lot more of the same over the next few days, weeks, and months. Whenever one story is shared, another one is remembered, and I could tell a million more, but, I’ll save most of those for your Celebration of Life on February 2nd. Today, I only want to share one. You once asked me if I was willing to make a bet with you and you promised me I’d like the bet. You told me that by the time you are 40, you’d be a millionaire. If you were, you’d give me $10,000. If you weren’t, you’d take me on vacation. I asked about my end of the bargain and this was your answer, “Shake my damn hand, look me in the eye, tell me you love me, and still be friends with me at 40.” That bet speaks to the selfless man you were. You lived life to the fullest and your positive energy inspired many. You’d give your last dollar to a homeless man who needed it more. You were a man with vibrancy and knowledge and you shared that vibrancy and knowledge with everyone you ever met. A few minutes later you added, “Geilfuss, even if we aren’t friends at 40, I’ll still give you the $10,000, you stupid son-of-a bitch.” We don’t quite know what would have happened with that bet, but somehow, I think you would have found a way to make a million dollars. Maybe you would have had your big break with Matthew Grube and the boys at Diamond Canopy. Maybe you would sold real estate with Kathy Townsend or won the lotto. We don’t know what would has happened, but I do know two things. We still would have been friends at 40 and even if you only had $100 to your name, you would put that $100 towards food and gas and driven me to the beach. You would have found us a free place to stay and you would have found a bartender to pour us free drinks all night long. We would have told stories, sang songs, and danced the night away. Rest In Peace, Matty Boy, you will be missed but you will not be forgotten.