We were as close as one class could get, and he was a part of it. He wasn't as close to many of us as we were to each other, but he was close nonetheless. He was different from most of us, but what made him so likeable was that, under his tough-guy, gym-going, jock-type exterior, he was a very down to earth, pure, cool guy.
I have pictures of him. We went on a week-long study retreat as we studied for our A-Levels. He was there. I have a picture of him lying in a bed with another classmate, relaxing, big smile on his face. I have another picture of him lying on a couch, head propped up by his hand, elbow sinking into the cushioning, book below his face, eyes tightly shut.
We were lab partners in our first year at UWI. He wasn't always the sharpest (nor was I), but he was always ready to work. By second year, I'd switched my major, and we saw each other infrequently. But anytime I saw him, he'd wanna stop and talk. I'd be in a rush, and he'd have this look on his face like "How yuh can just pass mi an' nuh tell mi wah a gwaan?" And so, I'd stop, and talk. He was that kind of loyal friend.
We lost contact. I wasn't sure whether he was still at UWI, or he was doing something else. I finished UWI, and went home for some months. My girlfriend would tell me that she saw him when she went to the supermarket. But I never saw him.
But I may see him on Saturday- that's when he'll be buried. His joyride one night turned into a deadly ordeal. I don't know for sure if he was speeding, if he just lost control, if he was just unlucky... it all doesn't matter now. All that matters is that it happened, and that's that. It hurts- and I'm not sure why- that it had been so long since we last spoke. But I guess the moral is, don't drop your guard, don't get complacent, don't depend on time- treat your loved ones well, if for no other reason, because you don't know how long you'll have them. Life has many lessons- so does death.
Me, and my whole class/crew, don't have our friend anymore. I don't think I want to see him on Saturday. I'll remember him as the guy sleeping on the couch.
1 comment:
I know this feeling all too well which is why i try to not let my friends ever wonder how much they mean to me. Distance usually gets in the way of friendships and our paths take us in separate directions, but everyone u have met in life is all apart of the big puzzle which make up ur life and each piece is important. But still there are those i wished i called...
I can tell u this BC don't look unless u really want to, it will be an image that remains burnt into ur memory for years to come. Best to remember him as he was and whichever impact he made on your life.
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