RIP David

That's a photo of David, Beth and Tess at a Steelers game.

For those of you who don't know him, David was one of my childhood friends. He was also one of my roommates at the big downtown apartment I lived during my wild middle 20s.

He was murdered on Wednesday along with another man. David was working installing water pipes for a rural water company. The shooter didn't like David being on his property, so the SOB killed him. The shooter had served two previous prison stints for killing people previously. He's now killed four people.

Anyway, David and I drifted apart when he moved out of the Self's building. He moved in with Beth, they got married and had Tess. We never had a falling out. Never fought or anything. Just went in different directions and failed to keep in touch.

Beth has asked me to write a death notice for David. And to be a pallbearer. I'm honored and humbled by this request. At the same time, I'm worried I won't do David's life justice, since I wasn't part of it for the last 15 years or so.

That brings me to why I'm writing this post. Aside from the sadness and anger I'm feeling, I'm also guilt stricken. I should have made more of an effort to stay in touch.

Since you're reading this blog, you're already one of my close friends (or family). I do not want to lose any of you the way I lost David. Losing a friend is tough enough. Losing a friend twice is even worse.