Brian

I met Brian when I was 18 years old. He was about my age and he had moved here from another city. We had both graduated from high school and he was heading to college soon.

In those days, most teenagers hung out in empty parking lots or the local Sonic and we cruised the strip or rode around until we found others to stop and talk to.

Brian was friends with Darren and we all hung out together pretty often, mostly on the weekends. I did not care for Darren that much because he was rude, obnoxious, and very reckless. He was the type of guy, who even though he had a girlfriend, was always trying to make a move on other girls. Definitely a big turn off to me.

Brian was different. He was so kind and gentle and just an all around fun person to hang out with. There were times when he would come over and sit and talk with me and tell me all about his past and his plans for the future. I have to admit, I had a small crush on him. He reminded me of a teddy bear and I could have loved him one day. Maybe I did.

One night in January, about 6 months after Brian moved here, he stopped in the local parking lot where some friends and I were talking and he picked me up. I left with him and we rode around in his car and talked. Something was not right, and I could not put my finger on it. I asked him what was wrong and he would not tell me. After riding around for a while, he stopped back where my friends were, to drop me off and he said, "I'll see you tomorrow!" And I said, "OK!"

Those were the very last words Brian ever said to me. He died that night in a car crash! After he and some friends left from a bar in a neighboring town a few hours later, an 18-wheeler crossed the center line and hit his small car. Brian was pronounced dead at the scene.

For the very first time in my life, I had lost a friend. My heart was broken. The person who called to tell me the news, made me so mad because there was no way that it could be true and I was so angry. How could someone so sweet and kind, who treated me so sweetly, be gone in an instant? He told me that he would see me tomorrow!!! I was crushed!

Over the years there have been many times that I have thought of my long ago friend. My mom had known his grandmother and his mom and when she met up with them somewhere, they would ask about me. I know that when my mom went to Heaven three years ago, Brian was there to meet her and he told her everything we did as crazy teenagers and she's laughing with him.

Yesterday at work a friend of my co-worker came in to talk to her and I knew who she was. I had never met her or talked to her before, but she was Brian's sister. I told her who I was and that I had known him, that I was with him that night and that it still hurt my heart to talk about him. She said it had been 22 years ago today that he died. We talked about him for a long time and it made me happy to hear stories about him. Stories that were about the Brian that I knew. The Brian that has never left my memories over the years.

It is still so hard to talk about my beloved friend without feeling that lump in my throat, without a tear coming to my eyes or to smile with a memory of something silly that he would say or do. He was a very special person and I am so glad to have known him and have him be a part of my life, even for such a small amount of time.

Maybe in his last words to me, Brian knew that we would see each other again and even though it was not the very next day....

One Sweet Day....we will: