Tom
I remember we spent our Valentines Day at Friendlys in Fayetteville- its closed now. You wore a silly Mountain Dew hat, and ordered Mountain Dew as the soda, and felt really corny and self conscious. You were always so smart and aware. We were so excited for our future. Always dreaming and scheming for what we would end up doing, acheiving. We were young.
I remember you drumming on the steering wheel, your face contorted with passion while singing rock songs. Radiohead, Tool, RJD2...
I remember you moved to tears one night, because you just loved your mother so much. I remember how you'd talk about how smart yet humble your father was; how he could figure out anything, and how he was encouraging about your baseball...I remember how impressed you always were with your uncle Dannys ability to pretty much do anything, you said he could build a motorcycle from a manual. You loved your family, and they loved you. And love doesn't die.
I remember learning the term "old lady," which is what I was fondly referred to, as your old lady. I had never heard that before.
Late nite talks into the dawn, listening to music... you could hear a funk track and know how to play it on bass, just like that. You wanted to be a music producer, and there's no doubt in my mind you would have succeeded. You were told you would've been a great counselor, and I'm certain you would have, as well. Whatever you wanted, you could've done.
We knew everything about eachother that there was to know. But, I didn't know you wrote poetry until I was unpacking my stuff in 2016, after moving, and I found notebooks with your poetry in it. It was beautiful. It was professional level.
I thought about reaching out within the month before your passing. I wish I did.
I really wish this didn't happen.
I love you.