Do Not Wait...seriously

I just found out today that an old friend died completely unexpectedly this morning. I worked with both he and his wife for years. The wife still is with the company though he left some time ago. I became good friends with the guy while we worked together, and then for some time after. But over the past 2 or 3 years, we kinda lost touch. We were always saying we were going to go shoot hoops or hit the links, or just grab a brew and watch the game sometime. Sadly, we were never able to really make our schedules work out, and now its too late. If you have a buddy, or a sibling, a parent, or relative who youve not seen in some time, please avoid telling yourself youll catch up later. You never know when later may no longer be an option. Make an effort to see them soon. Bury the hatchet, cancel the appointments with the mechanic or the dentist, clear the time in your schedule, swallow the pride thats in the way....whatever it is, make the effort while you have the chance.

Will miss ya bud

Thanks. I needed that reminder. Funny how other things can seem a lot more important than they really are.

It's so true. I recently connected with an old friend I hadn't seen in almost 20 years. Messaged each other back and forth on Facebook, and suggested lunch with a third friend. Left a message that went unanswered... til the third friend contacted me to say that she had died. Very sad. Of course, we two remaining friends feel guilty for not following up on our date... but decided we will have lunch together in her memory.

One of my cousins died of Leukemia last fall. At the funeral, we decided we were long overdue for a reunion, and it's going to happen a few weeks from now. There are some cousins I haven't seen for 40 years, it should be interesting.

I'm taking my 86 year old great-aunt 300 miles for our family reunion in June. I haven't been in a long time, and it could be her last (or the last that she can go to). I figure I'll keep taking her as long as she can go, just in case.

My dad came with me when I went drag racing last weekend. I really appreciated it.

Very good point. I vividly remember the last night I saw my mom before she died and wish I could have one more minute with her. In my life, I unfortunately see these things happen every day. Life is very fragile and we can all be gone in the blink of an eye- wreck, tornadoes, heart attack, whatever...I never go to bed without hugging and kissing my wife and kids and telling them I love them.

I'm so terrible about keeping in touch with people and meeting up with them. While I don't have kids, once everyone around me started having them, it made it damn near impossible to do anything with any of them. Best friends we used to see once a month are now seen maybe once or twice a year. That's just how it works out, though.

I saw my Dad the night before he died (unexpectedly) in 2001. His last words to me were "we'll see you". Got the call at 6AM the next morning. Very relieved I saw him that night.

I received this wake up call a week ago today. I had a good friend Matt pass away due to Police gunfire that erupted during a traffic stop. The details are sketchy at best right now, but what they are describing in their news report does not match up to Matt at all. He was a very, very nice guy who would stop at nothing to make sure you were laughing.

I remember the Volvo boiled over one night on the way home, as i was passing the shop he worked at. We sat there and talked as we waited for it to cool down. Went to the parts store, got the parts and worked on it until 11 that night. I offered him money, beer, work in my offtime, he refused all of it, just told me to come hang out.

It is a very big loss in the Georgia VW/Tuner scene as he was a very big part of the body/paint part.

http://www.mdjonline.com/view/full_story/13356778/article-Eyewitness-disputes-Cobb-police-report-after-officer-shoots--kills-man-in-Mableton?instance=home_viewed

In reply to DukeOfUndersteer:

Holy E36 M3. I am sorry for the loss of your friend. If that article (and witness) are correct that is one awful motherberkeleying story.

We had a family reunion in Magnolia MS last June at the home of my one cousin. Had a great time, got to know him a lot better. It had been over 20 years since I had seen him. Met a bunch of family I had never met before. He was delighted to see all of us, and told his wife it was one of the best experiences of his life. My cousin, Alfred Thaddeus Leggett III passed in April. I'm very glad we went.

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: In reply to DukeOfUndersteer: Holy E36 M3. I am sorry for the loss of your friend. If that article (and witness) are correct that is one awful motherberkeleying story.

I appreciate it. Not one news agency will follow this story at all. From what some of my buddies have been saying, the cop that shot him was a very trigger happy one who has done this before...There is a candle light service tomorrow at the shop he use to work at that I am attending.

Not to thread jack 4cylndrfury, i was just waiting for the most opportune time to post what has recently happened...

DukeOfUndersteer wrote:

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: In reply to DukeOfUndersteer: Holy E36 M3. I am sorry for the loss of your friend. If that article (and witness) are correct that is one awful motherberkeleying story.

I appreciate it. Not one news agency will follow this story at all. From what some of my buddies have been saying, the cop that shot him was a very trigger happy one who has done this before...There is a candle light service tomorrow at the shop he use to work at that I am attending. Not to thread jack 4cylndrfury, i was just waiting for the most opportune time to post what has recently happened...

Wow--that's really disturbing. There has to be SOME outlet where this story can be heard. I mean--"trigger happy cop" is a bit spooky to me.

5-6 shots at point blank range, omg... and no news agency is questioning this

In reply to DukeOfUndersteer:

thats seriously messed up. berkin cops [shakes head]. I really hope there is a follow up on this. Police brutality like this is getting out of control. Its even worse when it happens to a nice guy who was likely standing up for his search and seizure rights, or maybe just trying to ask what it was the cop wanted. I hope the witness makes a habit of always being in a crowded place till this gets sorted out.

All the more reason to go have that beer at your buddies house, get together for poker night, go to that family reunion, make time to visit grandma....whatever it is.

Just had a couple of days with my aunt jean and uncle tom so that was real nice . Fishing and golfing eating fresh fried fish . Making sandwiches and drinking beer as we made the turn at the 9 th hole . He lives near savannah need to check the racing schedule there visit . Great Post thanks !

fasted58 wrote: 5-6 shots at point blank range, omg... and no news agency is questioning this

...and this cop's name isn't being blasted all over the web.

VERY fishy.

Yeah, I hear you on this one.

Last October, I needed a sticker for my Trans Am, and I made the trek up to the garage next to my hometown where I used to go before I moved 45 minutes away. I went there because I had a few friends that I used to sling auto parts with that moved over there. One of them was a real good friend of mine (named Evan), but we kinda went our own ways after we both quit the parts place.

I pulled the car in, and we talked for about an hour while I waited. He was just starting to get his life in order, and so was I. He just got an apartment with his longtime girlfriend, he was saving money, just bought a new truck and motorcycle, and was doing great. I had just gotten back from the $2010 Challenge, and I was giving him the rundown of the whole "let's turbo the Jeep in the parking lot at 11:30pm" story, which had him laughing hysterically. We promised to stay in touch, especially since we had our own houses and all that now.

That night, I get a phone call from the other buddy of mine that works at the same garage, who was pretty much a second father to this kid. He told me that Evan had passed away that night while hanging out at a friend's house. He was playing video games with a friend, and the friend got up to do something. When he came back about 30 seconds later, Evan was on the floor and gone. He had heart problems and a Pacemaker since he was a kid, and just recently, he had the battery changed on it. Something happened and it quit on him. He was just 25.

I was extremely lucky to have randomly gone down there that day instead of going to a local place. At least I got to talk to him and say goodbye. A lot of his friends and family didn't get the chance.

One of my best friends older brothers lost his fiance a couple years back... She was 32.. In perfect health.. good looking very fit lady...

They were hanging out at his moms house in the hot tub... She began to complain of a headache and went in the house... A few minutes later they followed her in... He caught her as she collapsed on the kitchen floor.. She had a brain aneurysm.. and that was it... Apparently there was a very hard to deal with shutting down process her body went through... but she was gone in the blink of an eye...

no warning.. no nothing.. Just gone..

yeah... one of my old DH racing associates died suddenly during a training road ride a few months ago. About a year younger than me and in much better shape. Something about a random blood clot lodging near his heart. Just a freak thing... I wasn't great friends with him, but I fondly remember the times we rode together and camping at races. Unfortunately, I was the only one out of my group that was able to get to his viewing. He was buried in one of his DH jerseys, his race bike and helmet near the casket.

It was definitely a wake-up call that I need to get out and see people more often. Not quite ready to look for my estranged father yet, tho... Just thinking about him and everything he's done still makes me very angry.

Very sorry for your loss. The no warning makes it harder...got your message, though, earlier this year, and am very glad. Put the pettiness and crap that gets in the way aside and remember why you enjoyed that person's company. It can really work both ways when initiated by one party: this is the one life lesson that really does come with age--but it can be learned whilst still young. .

FB may not be for everybody but one reason I like it is keeping in touch w/ old friends and coworkers.

We found out this morning one of my co-workers I've known for several years has a yet-to-be identified mass in his brain. He's basically my age. It's hard to imagine a good outcome from this, but we're hoping. The older I get, the more I realize life and health are not to be taken for granted.

It looks like I will spend some more time on the road soon. I got the word a couple of days ago that my (almost) 100 y/o grandmother has an aortic aneurysm. It was unexpected; it was found while she was being checked for something else. She is refusing any sort of surgery, says if it's going to take her then she's ready. I can't say as I blame her, but it's still going to be hard.

Curmudgeon wrote: She is refusing any sort of surgery, says if it's going to take her then she's ready.

I hope Im that prepared when my time comes. I know Im only in my 30s and I am realizing more every day how short the rest of my time amid this mortal coil just may be. Makes me appreciate it.