11/12/81 - 11/12/10

On 11/12/10 I lost a good friend whose laughter was contagious and whose hugs resembled a bear attack. Dave Reid was a sweetheart, an amazing guy who never asked much of anyone, but gave so much in return. The world’s a darker place without him in it, but instead of me talking about how much I am going to miss him I want share a story that best encompasses how I’ll remember him.

It was nearly six years ago and Dave had just come back from a two week vacation visiting family up north and we threw him a coming home party (granted our group of friends would/will throw a party just because it’s Saturday, but meh). While we were all outside on the patio Dave runs out with something plastic around his neck and heads towards the pool. He pauses only long enough to shout “Geronimo!” before pulling a cord at his neck and “pfft!” a life preserver comes to life and he’s in the water.

It was random. It was crazy. It was hilarious. It was Dave.

Dave implied that night that he’d stolen the life preserver from the plane he’d just been on and we all giggled and poked fun telling him that that was a federal crime and the plane police we’re going to come and get him.

Well on Friday night his mother came to Friday’s, our old stomping ground, and she had drinks with us. She drank Long Islands, Dave’s favorite, and while she was there we were sharing stories and that one came up. It turns out Suzy had purchased that life preserver at a garage sale and had always wondered where it had run off too.

I miss Dave. I love Dave.

He was brilliant.

( Dave and I being goofy and having fun. 11/6/10 )