O.T.-Memories

[slimster]

I have not been able to spend very much time with y'all here on the forum lately, due to spending a lot of time dealing with my good friend, Mark, who has been dealing with some very serious health issues here lately. Yesterday, he went to his reward, and I am very much saddened by the loss. Guys, he was a brother to me by choice. We grew up together ever since grade school, and had stuck together through thick and thin, sharing each others triumphs, and burdens, and were Godparents for each other's children. Just wanted to share a quick story about the two of us, along with his (our) other brother and great friend, Donnie. In the spring of 1967,when Mark and I were 8 years old, I rode my bicycle over to Mark's house one Saturday morning, and knocked on the door. His mom came to the door and with a finger to her lips, motioning me to be quiet, whispered that Mark was in his room and to go on up, but to keep any noise to a minimum, as his older brother, Donnie, was home from Vietnam, (his first tour), and was sleeping on the couch. I gave her a grin and mouthed "yes ma'am" and tiptoed through the living room. All I could see of Donnie, the big bad Marine I had heard so much about, was the back of his head and one hairy shoulder in a tank top sticking out of a big lump of covers there on the sofa. I quietly eased up the stairs to Mark's room and softly closed the door behind me. Mark was kicked back on the bed eating Oreo cookies and reading Sgt. Rock comic books. "Ya want some cookies" he asked? "Sure" was my reply, and for a while we happily munched cookies and read comic books. A Saturday morning slice of heaven for a couple of 8 year old boys. Suddenly we heard a ferocious roar! "Somebody stole my @#*&^%! cookies" accompanied by a horrendous stomping of footsteps on the stairs! We looked at each other with eyes as large as saucers, and my glance slid to the now nearly empty bag of Oreos on the bed. The look in his eyes told me the answer to that unasked question. Instead I asked "will he really kill us?" Mark just nodded at me with a sickly, guilty grin on his face. Mark had the window up in a flash, and was out in a heartbeat, with me not an eyeblink behind. Not an instant too soon either, as Donnie's head came out the window right behind us hollering "I'll kill the little S. O. B.s", only to see smoking rubber streaks from our Converse sneakers across the driveway! It's a good thing God saw fit to make young boys nearly indestructable, else we might have killed ourselves leaping from the upstairs window, but our adrenalin had sure kicked in, as we were convinced we didnt have long to live otherwise. Needless to say, we made ourselves quite scarce for the remainder of that day. We have had many great laughs about that incident over the last 40+ years, and it makes me feel a little bit better to share that memory with you guys. I lost Donnie two years ago, and Mark yesterday. I sure will miss them both. Gotta go now, it's getting a bit blurry. Thanks for letting me share this...

[Blaine]

Sometimes it's worse losing family you pick instead of the ones you get by birth. I'm sorry for your loss, Friend.

[Ben_Rumson]

Yup.. same here too

[gamekeeper]

Sorry to hear your very sad news but glad you have such great memories.

[20cows]

...he was a brother to me by choice.

The 31st will be the 2nd anniversary the death of my "brother by choice".

You have my condolances.

[Hobie]

Prayers said for all. It can be a tough thing indeed.

[firefuzz]

Prayers up and sorry for your loss. Thanks for sharing a special part of your life with us. It's evident that you and Mark had something very precious....true friendship.


Rob

[Ysabel Kid]

Prayers up. I am truly sorry for your loss...

[Old Savage]

Wish you the best in this hard time.

[papasan]

Prayers up..and sorry for your
loss. Memories like that are a
gift from God. I tell you, i could picture two 8 yr old rascals diving out that window
for their lives indeed.

papasan

[mod71alaska]

My heartfelt condolences, Slimster. Such good memories will keep your brother(s) alive and with you.

[slimster]

Thank you all for your prayers and understanding. They surely help. Sunday, when I got the call, I drove to his home and met his oldest daughter and nephew, (Donnie's son) there. Did ok when there was plenty going on. Yesterday, all the memorys hit me hard. I have so many memories of the family, and they are wonderful to have, it's just painfully fresh right now. His younger daughter got in from Alabama yesterday, and visitation will be this evening. Tomorrow we will lay him to rest among family. Once again, thanks.

[rangerider7]

My thoughts and prayers are with you.

[2ndovc]

So very sorry for your loss.
You were truley fortunate to have such great friends.

jasonb

[stretch]

Condolences, Slimster.

You obviously have some great memories, though.
That story was a hoot.....

-Stretch

[FWiedner]

Please accept my sincere condolences. Losing a valued friend is losing a part of yourself.

The silver lining to the sad event is that your friend is at peace, and from now on he will always travel with you as that 8-year old buddy sharing danger and ill-gotten gains.

[Birdman]

I'm 51 and realized 5 years ago that I was no longer invinsible. I won't live forever and now I am seeing some of my friends passing on. Life is mighty short. Keep your house in order and then enjoy the ride while it lasts.

[rjohns94]

sorry for the loss. Been there and done that. May the memories fill your heart.

[JohndeFresno]

That was good story, Slimster. Here's a prayer that the Good Lord buoys you up in this time of loss, and that you are cheered by the many great memories that a true friend brings you.