Reconnection

Darev recently mentioned two people he was hoping to reconnect with. The wide use of Facebook makes these opportunities more possible now, but there are still some holdouts out there.

I reconnected with someone who I loved dearly twenty-five years ago. Though times are different and both our lives have totally changed since we last saw one another we still have twenty-five years ago like we’ll always have Paris.

Oddly, one of my nephews got a call from the daughter of another friend I had for the last ten or so years before I left New Jersey. She asked if he had my contact information. Being an attorney, he didn’t want to give it out without my permission, so after contacting me he got the OK to do so.

So the other night I got a call from my friend who now lives in upper New York State. He is thirteen years older than me and when we were friends back then he had a wife and four girls; a real family man. I am now surprised his wife tolerated my presence because he and I were always doing something and up to something. I’d drag him out fishing, or out on the snow mobiles, or out horseback riding, or driving my Jeep into areas where no vehicle should ever come back in one piece. He was a pal, a friend, someone to hang out with. We did a lot of crazy things and I have never since connected with anyone on that level.

We reminisced about our adventures and what we are doing now. He’s had some health issues, but he still sounds the same, just a bit more worn, but so am I. As our phone conversation came to a close, he finally told me that the reason he called was to see if I was still alive. He said he didn’t have much hope for my survival considering all the crazy shit I did and the chances I took back in the day. He brought up specific incidences that I had for the most part forgotten. As I thought of them I had to agree. It’s a wonder I’m still alive.

OK, I know you are all nosy, but one was when I decided to drive everywhere in reverses at legal speed one night. Another was SCUBA diving into this dark well house in a lake to unplug a pipe that could have easily sucked me in had I succeeded. And there was the time I was shooting a black powder pistol in my basement and the shot ricocheted and hit me in the stomach. Another time was when I decided to drive my jeep up or down every set of stairs I could find. There are a lot incidents I’m leaving out since I’m unsure of the statute of limitations for certain offences in New Jersey and New York.

My conversation with him makes me want to go back east for a visit.