Sunday, November 13, 2016
We met sometime in the early 70s just after Tom left the Marines while I was still going to Stony Brook with his Huntington neighbor Stuie. We became fast friends and had many insane adventures during the 70s and 80s until my career finally took me off Long Island for good. Over 40 years later Tom was still one of my dearest friends even though the hundreds and now thousand mile distance meant we saw less and less of each other during the intervening years. First it was a few times a year, then yearly at Thanksgiving until my Mom moved off LI in 2012. For the past few years it was more sporadic as the ties with LI have slowly been severed, but we never failed to get together to renew our long friendship for at least a few hours whenever I did return.
Last time I was on LI was April of 2015 to work on closing up my Mother's house and Tom had just retired. His help never materialized so I spent a day moving him out of the place he'd rented in Melville for many years. It was the most time we'd had together in more than 20 years. We talked and laughed as we loaded his bikes in the truck and carried stuff out of the house, then later sat down and had a great dinner together. Chinese, our favorite. It was the last time I would ever spend with him.
I knew he was hurting then and guess deep down I realized this day was inevitable, but like a guy I shrugged it off thinking we still had time. And while I wish we had spoken more towards the end I think maybe he wanted to me to remember him as he was, not as fate had laid him low. Distance and circumstance prevent me from coming to LI for the memorial (and I have much less reason to go back there now that he's gone), but that doesn't mean I won't be hoisting a glass to him.
Rest well old friend. Fran and I will always love you.
Gork!
