Nice. Real nice. For what it is worth, my memory of Steve was a pickup basketball game. I was on a team with Steve’s dad. It was his dad and the little kids against Steve’s older brother Fred and some others. With each point Steve’s dad would hold the ball and announce the score to Fred in an incredulous tone and in a heavy southern accent. This only got Fred more pissed off and rattled. It was my first lesson in psyching out your opponent.
I never hooked up with Steve after HS. He was in a different circle of friends. He had his demons (didn’t we all). What strikes me now and then about his death is its permanence. We grow to middle age while he remains frozen in 1996. That is the tragedy.
Thanks Tim. A number of people have reached out privately and added small details or memories, and those snippets have assured me that my 40-50 year old memories are somewhat correct. While Steve is forever 34, he is, in my mind, also forever the defender, and it's a fitting persistence of memory.
So inspiring, Hal. Thank you for sharing. Cannot help it to be emotional.
Nice. Real nice. For what it is worth, my memory of Steve was a pickup basketball game. I was on a team with Steve’s dad. It was his dad and the little kids against Steve’s older brother Fred and some others. With each point Steve’s dad would hold the ball and announce the score to Fred in an incredulous tone and in a heavy southern accent. This only got Fred more pissed off and rattled. It was my first lesson in psyching out your opponent.
I never hooked up with Steve after HS. He was in a different circle of friends. He had his demons (didn’t we all). What strikes me now and then about his death is its permanence. We grow to middle age while he remains frozen in 1996. That is the tragedy.
Thanks Tim. A number of people have reached out privately and added small details or memories, and those snippets have assured me that my 40-50 year old memories are somewhat correct. While Steve is forever 34, he is, in my mind, also forever the defender, and it's a fitting persistence of memory.
Beautifully put. Childhood friends left us but their memories live on. From the heart touches us all 😊