Two Friends Gone

One of my boyhood friends died on Easter Sunday after a year of living with cancer. I met Scott in Jr Hi and performed with him (or near him) through High School. He brightened all of the lives he touched, was a clear baritone and a charismatic actor. He will be sorely missed by his family and those around him.

This week I also learned of the death of another boyhood friend last summer in an auto accident. Tom was my backyard neighbor and closest friend from fourth grade through High School. We lost touch during our college years (I moved away) and met again at our 25th reunion. No one recognized him as he was twice the man he was in High School and looked like Kenny Rodgers. I too had gone from unbelievably skinny to more normal build, so neither of us recognized each other. I have never seen such joy for someone to be back among friends.

You expect to lose some friends from car accidents when you are in your twenties and you don’t expect everyone to live forever, but it still hurts when they are gone.