Lost Memories

Moments in life can stain our memories. No matter how far back they are, it's something that we can re-live like they happened yesterday.

These are the moments that derail us from the tracks that we are following in this life. They are the events that were the game changers that made us who we are in this moment of time. If it wasn't for those moments, would we be the same person we presently are?

It was a sunny day. What a great day for Homecoming. We were driving over to see the TP decorations that we had made the night before. 2 friends in the front cab, 3 of us up against the cab in the back and 1 friend leaning on the back tail. The road was quite curvy and we were passing a car. We take the turn faster than we should and life warps into this slow-motion state. I shout, "Ooohh Ssshhhhiiii...." I don't remember finishing the phrase before I realize that we are going into a barrel roll. 

 Life seemed to freeze. I thought to myself, “This truck is rolling, I am still in this and (I feel the presence of my friend right next to me) shit, so is Matt. I keep envisioning that my head will be the filling of this truck/ground sandwich at any moment now, and I have only one option. Grab Matt, throw him out and hope we survive this. I close my eyes and carried out my plan. It’s weird, I have this feeling of floating. The feeling was longer than expected. When a truck is rolling and your flying in the air, you don’t expect to “float”. I must have blacked out for a bit as I wake up when my body bounces off the green grass. I spring up to my feet fast enough to see the final roll of the pick up truck and yell, “PETER! PETER!” I see his giant arms pulling himself out of the cab and a sign of relief comes over me as everything fades to black.

Over the years, I haven’t forgot a single step in those few seconds, but everything before and after is a complete blur. I have no idea what we were doing before or where we went after. I’m assuming we went to the hospital but I have no clue. I guess the only thing I do remember is a mental picture from overhead. Of the four of us in the ambulance, Peter, Matt, Billy, and I. Which Billy was the only one in the stretcher, bitching about why he had to be the only one strapped down and not any of us. I remember he was more pissed about losing his hat than anything else. 

I bought you the same hat that you lost and was going to give it to you. I was wearing it and you said, "fucker. I like it." And you wouldn't take it. I guess that writes it. I'll make sure to not lose this one in a field. 

Happy Birthday Billy. Miss You Bud.

Much Love