Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Burying Childhood Friends

This is something that should only be done at a ripe old age - until then, one should only have to bury friends and loved ones who are much older. Unfortunately, I am about to bury my first childhood friend. I suppose he is technically my second, but I was not around for the funeral of the first and in all honesty, he wasn't really a friend.

In this case, it is especially difficult, because this friend was younger than myself and in a couple of ways I was a mentor to him. I am really not sure how I feel about it, I haven't actually seen him in roughly fifteen years - possibly longer. I cared for him and never stopped caring for him - he was my friend and I am not one for letting lack of contact stop me from caring for old friends. But it has been a very long time and that makes for some dulling. And there are other more personal reasons that are causing confusion.

What I do know, is that I am way to fucking young to be burying childhood friends - especially younger childhood friends...

6 comments:

Juniper Shoemaker said...

I am very sorry about your friend, DuWayne.

Cath@VWXYNot? said...

I'm so sorry.

Comrade PhysioProf said...

Sorry for your loss, holmes.

Jason Thibeault said...

That does suck considerably. At least, like you said, the time spent apart dulls the loss a bit... small consolation, of course.

Greg Laden said...

I just saw this. Sorry about your friend.

A friend and colleague (but older than me and not a child hood friend) just died, rather surprisingly.

My first girlfriend died the summer after we were engaged (in Kindergarten). It was a truck. My best friend in High School died when we were about 20. It was a heart attack.

Somebody who was younger and to whom you were a mentor is a bit freaky and extra unfair.

DuWayne Brayton said...

Thanks All, it has been a very strange mix of feelings...