I never in a million years would have dreamed I would have to try and memorialize two great friends in less than a month. But that is the reality and I've been taking time to remember some really special memories of Angela and of David. It hasn't been difficult; we made plenty.
I remember when I first met David, I thought he was larger than life and I was intimidated by him and several others at Porter. I could tell they were all very good friends and I thought it would take a lot of work to integrate into the group. But, I was wrong and first impressions could never be more wrong.
On one of the first Sundays I visited Porter, some of the singles invited me to lunch at Schlotsky's. I remember just observing the dynamics and the personalities during that lunch and I came away from it thinking Angela was Melinda (Cravens) Bridges roommate and that Melinda was somehow pregnant with David's baby!!! Wow, that was soooooo not right hahaha. I quickly learned that my perception was way off and then it didn't take long at all to really start caring about my new friends. I loved hanging out with them as much as possible. Mostly I remember Angela, Melinda, Nancy Noe, David and me getting together to play cards...Nertz...and occassionally other games. We ALWAYS laughed nonstop while we ate and watched Nancy win just about 99 percent of the games.
We exchanged gifts for birthdays and also at Christmas. David always had a knack of knowing what we would like without even asking us. I have a beautiful green scarf from Churchill Weavers in Berea that David stood in line for hours to get (at their old annual sales); other years he brought me beautiful pieces of navy blue Bybee pottery to match my kitchen colors. If I needed an opinion on anything home decor...David was my guy. He had impeccable taste in clothes, shoes, music, antiques...and oh how he loved chocolate. I think he may be the inspiration of yet another book I don't have time to write "Why can't straight men be more Gay? (and I'm not talking about the sex, ya'll)" Seriously, straight men could learn a lot about women from gay men.
I hope David truly believed that I never saw him any different because he was gay; I hope he knew that I loved him anyway. I remember visiting with him for a brief time exactly a week before he passed away. He was bedridden, very very skinny from the disease of amyloidosis that had ravaged his body and he could barely see, yet; he still found a chance to insert some humor into the conversation and make us feel comfortable in the room. I hugged him as best I could that day and told him how much I loved him. I trust he believed me because he said it back and even in his pain, I think he was concerned more about how we felt than what he was going through.
He was a good man and I know a lot of people miss him. I know he and Angela were probably suprised to see each other in heaven; but they probably laughed it off and went to find a deck of cards and a carmel apple salad or a chocolate, peanut butter concoction.
See you someday my friend, Go with God.
1 comment:
Very well said.
Post a Comment