Blast from the Past
The weirdest thing happened to me today....
My long lost friend MT showed up here at work, not knowing I work here and imagine the surprise when I went to the lobby and found him sitting there instead. It feels so good to see old friends, and it makes me sad to think that we have totally lost contact with each other and have missed out on SO many important things that have happened in our lives. To run into MT after 4 years or so of having no communication whatsoever made me so emotional. It felt good to see him again, and to see him so successful and so put together. The last memory I have of him is not very good, and up to that point, I was worried at how he was going to end up. But to see for myself what he has become and how he is leading his life now makes me genuinely happy for him.
MT and I were inseperable in college. He was, like me, confused as to what he wanted to do in life. We had a class together back in '95 and it was one of those friendships that just happened because it made sense. Back in the day, he was one of my so-called (gulp!!!) rice rocket friends (Ok...I give you permission to cap on me starting...NOW!). His oh-so fast Integra was the one thing that consumed him. He's half Japanese/half Filipino and I always had this feeling his Dad, Mr. T, was part of the Japanese Mafia (don't ask me why!) eventhough he was one of the sweetest men I've met. MT back then was all about the car...all about thinking he was all that...all superficial but yes, he was my friend. He was my "steady" date all the time and even when he never admitted it, he probably got so sick of hearing me whine and bitch about the infamous Sandwich Man. But the MT I got to know was a lot different than the MT people saw. He was a gentle person. He was very into family. He loved his mom so much (reminiscent of how the Big Guy regards Mom E.) and in everything he did, he subconsciously had her in mind. He was the closest thing I had to a boyfriend without the commitment (and the priviledges! HA!!!).
At 20, he thought he had his whole life figured out. He wanted a more "mature" persona. He got rid of his rice rocket and got a truck. He moved out of his parents' HUGE house up in the hills and moved into this tiny studio in Oakland. It was the biggest joke that his place was so small once he gets out of bed, he was out the door. He worked for his dad, who owned an office/school furnishing business. Their last name is plastered on this big brick building on your way to the city via Highway 101. But at 23, his life as he knew it, changed over night. Mr T. died of a heart attack at their family home, with only Mrs T at his side. MT has a sister who was married and pregnant and lived across the bay. MT's younger brother, JT was out partying. It was MT who got the first call. He rushed from his place to be at Mrs T's side. The doctors pronounced Mr T. DOA.
MT called me at 2am - and I remember getting so irritated because it was so late (or early) for a phone call. I remember snapping at him and him apologizing to me. Then he said he just wanted to let me know that Mr. T passed away. I didn't go to work that day and instead drove up to the house at 6am to be with him. I can still see Mrs. T sitting at the dining room table, quietly grieving. MT took charge of everything that needed to be done. He knew he had different responsibilities starting then. For the following days, I was with him: booking the funeral home, choosing the casket, printing the service cards, ordering the flowers, ordering food, etc... After the funeral, he moved back home to be with his mom. He took pointers from his dad's business partners and made a commitment to continue working. In my eyes, he grew up overnight.
But all of that sudden responsibility left him angry inside. He alienated himself from everything that was part of his life prior to his father's death, and sadly that included me. I didn't understand it at first but in my heart, I knew he had to do what he had to do and so I stepped back.
Four years have passed.
We have not heard from each other since then.
I don't know why I didn't try to get in touch with him. Maybe subconsciously I had to let it go.
So many things have happened since then.
I have a wonderful life with a family that I love.
I could've wished he knew how things have evolved for me.
I could've wished I knew how things turned out for him.
But seeing each other today - it was as if there was never a lull moment.
He'll be back here in the office tomorrow and we'll have time to chat a bit more.
I can't wait to tell him all about the Big Guy and my little monster.
I can't wait to tell him how good life has been for me.
I can't wait to hear how he's been.
I can't wait to hear all about him.
What a wonderful blast from the past.
I just hope it doesn't take another 4 years to hear from each other again.
Toodles people. Take care of your friends.
My long lost friend MT showed up here at work, not knowing I work here and imagine the surprise when I went to the lobby and found him sitting there instead. It feels so good to see old friends, and it makes me sad to think that we have totally lost contact with each other and have missed out on SO many important things that have happened in our lives. To run into MT after 4 years or so of having no communication whatsoever made me so emotional. It felt good to see him again, and to see him so successful and so put together. The last memory I have of him is not very good, and up to that point, I was worried at how he was going to end up. But to see for myself what he has become and how he is leading his life now makes me genuinely happy for him.
MT and I were inseperable in college. He was, like me, confused as to what he wanted to do in life. We had a class together back in '95 and it was one of those friendships that just happened because it made sense. Back in the day, he was one of my so-called (gulp!!!) rice rocket friends (Ok...I give you permission to cap on me starting...NOW!). His oh-so fast Integra was the one thing that consumed him. He's half Japanese/half Filipino and I always had this feeling his Dad, Mr. T, was part of the Japanese Mafia (don't ask me why!) eventhough he was one of the sweetest men I've met. MT back then was all about the car...all about thinking he was all that...all superficial but yes, he was my friend. He was my "steady" date all the time and even when he never admitted it, he probably got so sick of hearing me whine and bitch about the infamous Sandwich Man. But the MT I got to know was a lot different than the MT people saw. He was a gentle person. He was very into family. He loved his mom so much (reminiscent of how the Big Guy regards Mom E.) and in everything he did, he subconsciously had her in mind. He was the closest thing I had to a boyfriend without the commitment (and the priviledges! HA!!!).
At 20, he thought he had his whole life figured out. He wanted a more "mature" persona. He got rid of his rice rocket and got a truck. He moved out of his parents' HUGE house up in the hills and moved into this tiny studio in Oakland. It was the biggest joke that his place was so small once he gets out of bed, he was out the door. He worked for his dad, who owned an office/school furnishing business. Their last name is plastered on this big brick building on your way to the city via Highway 101. But at 23, his life as he knew it, changed over night. Mr T. died of a heart attack at their family home, with only Mrs T at his side. MT has a sister who was married and pregnant and lived across the bay. MT's younger brother, JT was out partying. It was MT who got the first call. He rushed from his place to be at Mrs T's side. The doctors pronounced Mr T. DOA.
MT called me at 2am - and I remember getting so irritated because it was so late (or early) for a phone call. I remember snapping at him and him apologizing to me. Then he said he just wanted to let me know that Mr. T passed away. I didn't go to work that day and instead drove up to the house at 6am to be with him. I can still see Mrs. T sitting at the dining room table, quietly grieving. MT took charge of everything that needed to be done. He knew he had different responsibilities starting then. For the following days, I was with him: booking the funeral home, choosing the casket, printing the service cards, ordering the flowers, ordering food, etc... After the funeral, he moved back home to be with his mom. He took pointers from his dad's business partners and made a commitment to continue working. In my eyes, he grew up overnight.
But all of that sudden responsibility left him angry inside. He alienated himself from everything that was part of his life prior to his father's death, and sadly that included me. I didn't understand it at first but in my heart, I knew he had to do what he had to do and so I stepped back.
Four years have passed.
We have not heard from each other since then.
I don't know why I didn't try to get in touch with him. Maybe subconsciously I had to let it go.
So many things have happened since then.
I have a wonderful life with a family that I love.
I could've wished he knew how things have evolved for me.
I could've wished I knew how things turned out for him.
But seeing each other today - it was as if there was never a lull moment.
He'll be back here in the office tomorrow and we'll have time to chat a bit more.
I can't wait to tell him all about the Big Guy and my little monster.
I can't wait to tell him how good life has been for me.
I can't wait to hear how he's been.
I can't wait to hear all about him.
What a wonderful blast from the past.
I just hope it doesn't take another 4 years to hear from each other again.
Toodles people. Take care of your friends.
