Ever go to a bar with a bunch of friends and have a great time for hours? You laugh so hard you cry. The jokes and funny stories fly across the table a mile a minute. The next day someone asks you "did you guys have good time last night?" You reply, "yeah, we had a blast!" However, you can't tell them why it was fun. It's impossible to tell them why you laughed so hard, and you can't remember who had the line of the night. They just weren't there. You can't convey the mood of the night, the atmosphere, the groove everyone was in.
My experiences with Carl are just like that. Too many laughs to recall. Too many good times steeped in an atmosphere all their own. Somewhere in the middle of all the fun, I learned (and continue to learn) a little about life as well.
Here are a few highlights....
1. Dateline..... Denver Colorado. Before Kris and I got married, we flew out to Denver to take the Police Department written exams (Kris wanted me to tell everyone she passed wth flying colors, and let's just say I didn't). As we both come from conservative backgrounds, it was deemed necessary by the powers that be, that a third person should make the 2 night trip with us to ensure our purity remained intact. Enter lifelong friend, playing the role of Chaperone. I remember him saying of his responsibilities for the weekend, " I'm here to stop Shamus' sperm from traveling into Kris' room.". There were also sound effects that accompanied that remark. I can't figure out how to spell them. I submit that three people have never had more fun in a single weekend.
2. Who is your favorite musician? Your favorite actor? How about your favorite author? What if this favorite person invited you and 49 others to an "invitation only" party? This was the scene for Carl and I in a D.C. ghetto. Over three hours in the company of one of the greatest music makers the world has ever seen. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Wakeman The 50 people in attendance included people who flew in from Africa, Ireland, Russia and the United Kingdom. Then there was Carl and I from New York freakin' City. I can't explain every nuance of the experience. I do know that I had just as much fun driving the four hours each way with Carl as I did at the once-in-a-lifetime music venue. This link http://www.nfte.org/back-issues/0272.html#_Toc36566301 will take you to a page where the attendees (including Carl, see yesman post) wrote about the experience.
In my opinion, you will at some point piss off anyone you call friend. The true measure of that friendship will be how the relationship is altered from that point forward. Will it falter? Or will it somehow become a deeper friendship than ever before. From this vantage point comes my next Carl story.
3. I was at the lowest point in my adult life. Everything I had come to care about was falling to pieces day by day. It was the type of existence that leaves you searching for a reason to even leave your bedroom in the morning and go about your day. I choose to unequivocally put a great deal of trust in a select group of people for guidance and support in getting through these tough times. At one point, I was counseled to distance myself from Carl. It was thought that he was, and had been a harming influence on my life. In hindsight, I realize that poor decision making, in part had gotten me into the whole mess to begin with. Nevermind what I was about to do to my friend. I cowardly called him on the phone and told him that I had been advised to distance myself from him. He said "Wow, that hurts" ...............Click. What had I just done?! I'll spare you the complicated events and emotions that came to be in the months that followed that horrible phone call.
My experiences with Carl are just like that. Too many laughs to recall. Too many good times steeped in an atmosphere all their own. Somewhere in the middle of all the fun, I learned (and continue to learn) a little about life as well.
Here are a few highlights....
1. Dateline..... Denver Colorado. Before Kris and I got married, we flew out to Denver to take the Police Department written exams (Kris wanted me to tell everyone she passed wth flying colors, and let's just say I didn't). As we both come from conservative backgrounds, it was deemed necessary by the powers that be, that a third person should make the 2 night trip with us to ensure our purity remained intact. Enter lifelong friend, playing the role of Chaperone. I remember him saying of his responsibilities for the weekend, " I'm here to stop Shamus' sperm from traveling into Kris' room.". There were also sound effects that accompanied that remark. I can't figure out how to spell them. I submit that three people have never had more fun in a single weekend.
2. Who is your favorite musician? Your favorite actor? How about your favorite author? What if this favorite person invited you and 49 others to an "invitation only" party? This was the scene for Carl and I in a D.C. ghetto. Over three hours in the company of one of the greatest music makers the world has ever seen. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Wakeman The 50 people in attendance included people who flew in from Africa, Ireland, Russia and the United Kingdom. Then there was Carl and I from New York freakin' City. I can't explain every nuance of the experience. I do know that I had just as much fun driving the four hours each way with Carl as I did at the once-in-a-lifetime music venue. This link http://www.nfte.org/back-issues/0272.html#_Toc36566301 will take you to a page where the attendees (including Carl, see yesman post) wrote about the experience.
In my opinion, you will at some point piss off anyone you call friend. The true measure of that friendship will be how the relationship is altered from that point forward. Will it falter? Or will it somehow become a deeper friendship than ever before. From this vantage point comes my next Carl story.
3. I was at the lowest point in my adult life. Everything I had come to care about was falling to pieces day by day. It was the type of existence that leaves you searching for a reason to even leave your bedroom in the morning and go about your day. I choose to unequivocally put a great deal of trust in a select group of people for guidance and support in getting through these tough times. At one point, I was counseled to distance myself from Carl. It was thought that he was, and had been a harming influence on my life. In hindsight, I realize that poor decision making, in part had gotten me into the whole mess to begin with. Nevermind what I was about to do to my friend. I cowardly called him on the phone and told him that I had been advised to distance myself from him. He said "Wow, that hurts" ...............Click. What had I just done?! I'll spare you the complicated events and emotions that came to be in the months that followed that horrible phone call.
1 comment:
Again, I'm glad you continue to update this site. i like the insite...and the way in which you view the people in your life.
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