It's a wild thing.
When one of your high school buddies.
Texts you that another one of your high school buddies.
Has passed away.
Brian Lufkin texted me.
Anthony Silva passed away.
Well, shit, what do I do with this?
I called Brian just to say that sucks.
Cuz it does.
While I have not been close to Anthony in many years.
Via Facebook I knew he was battling some rare cancer.
Life and New York and Booze.
Love and Years and Kids and Careers.
Will do that to acquaintances.
It's only natural.
But I remember playing basketball in Anthony's driveway.
He grew up with the others.
But was always on the outskirts of the core group.
Anthony was friends with Lee Anthony.
Casey Anthony's brother.
Yep, that Casey Anthony.
You have these relationships.
That seem to be invaluably important.
But taken for granted, yet they exist in the small fraction.
Until the other person simply ceases to exist.
Anthony had been with his wife, Michelle.
Since high school. Since high school!
I remember (jealously) thinking they were idiots.
Selfishly, I think, who's next?
Is it me?
Is it Chris?
Someone I truly care about.
Not that I didn't care about Anthony.
It's just I didn't know him anymore.
It's just he didn't know me.