Weddings and Memories

Today I am as far away from my Daughter as I have been since she was born. Walking away from her this morning was as hard of a moment as I have had with her. I have just tried not to think about where I am and where she is.

I am in Poughkeepsie, NY for Anthony Mariani's wedding. Anthony was one of my 4 roommates in college. We were very close and I have been looking forward to seeing him for a long time.

I was married, and not a father the last time I saw Ant. It is going to be great seeing him.

What I didn't think about was the fact that all of my college roomates, and friends were going to be here. It is 4:00 in the afternoon and I have not seen anyone yet, but I will tonight, and tomorrow. I am excited, and a little scared.

I have spent the better part of today, the part that I wasnt yelling at the assholes going 50 mph in the left hand lane, thinking about the four years of my life that I spent with these guys.

I am overwhelmed with memories. Most of which are the kind of shit that I am not all that proud of. But that is who I was, and I am who I am.

I have a thousand memories.

One the bus, on my first trip with the varsity football team at Brockport, I was scared to death. It was all new to me, and I barely knew anyone.

Ant. stood up in the back of the bus (I was in the front), and yelled in a South Park's, Terrence and Phillip voice...."Terrance, did you fart...Hahhahahah" it broke the ice for me, everyone laughed and I was able to relax.

It was a stupid thing, and Ant probably thought he was teasing me, but it meant the world to a kid who was scared to death.

I lived with a man, unlike any I had met up to that point. And unlike any I have met since.

Joe Toombs was the weirdest man I have ever met. Joey danced to a song that no one else heard.

Joe and I would stay in the same hotel room when we traveled for college football games. Joey was usually a quiet, polite roomate and him and I never had any issues.

Until Delaware.

We traveled to Delaware our Senior year. It was a hot night and we both had a hard time falling asleep. I woke up at 4 am and went to the bathroom. Joey was not in his bed. I didnt really think anything of it, and I went back to bed. I figured he must be on the other side of his bed, sleeping on the floor.

I woke at 6 or 7, no Joey. I went to our team breakfast, no Joey. I went back to our room, showered, got packed, still no Joey. At this point I was starting to worry. I think I was slightly afraid Rocco (our coach, who treated Joe like an estranged son) would blame me for not keeping a better eye on him. I boarded our bus at around 10, still no Joe.

We were about to pull out, and Joe got on the bus, acting like nothing had happened. I immedately interogated him about where he was.

Joe informed me, like it was the most normal thing in the world, that he had slept in the closet, because the street light was keeping him awake. He said it, and turned around and walked away like nothing happend.

That was Joe, the kid who slept in the closet and thought it was no big deal.

This is going to be a great weekend.

I miss Avi.