This is something which happens as one ages, I guess, but being philosophical does not make sad facts better. Three people with whom I once was good friends are in today’s obituary columns. One a HS classmate who was a star tennis player in HS and UT and a lawyer at my firm, one a HS football and baseball teammate two years younger than I, and one a son of a famous Austin preacher, brother/brother in law of close friends, and a former law clerk at my firm. The first two had long illnesses, and the last must have been sudden because he was at Game 6 the day before.
Every obit is sad for someone, and these three are for me. I have not been close to them currently, and they are not personal losses in the same way relatives and dear friends are, but I was close to each of them at one time. They also are a sober reminder that one day it will be me.
Funny(?) story, tangentially about my recently deceased HS teammate, at my expense: my senior baseball season was only mediocre, imo. My arm did not hurt, but it felt kinda dead, and my pitches did not have their normal zip. Tommy Moore (UT teammate also) and I were the two best pitchers, and Tommy’s senior year was better than mine. My soph teammate (Flip Whitworth) was good and was our #3.
I arrived at the field one day when it was my game to pitch. Instead, Coach Raven started Flip on the mound, and I was furious. I did not say anything to Raven, but I am sure he knew. He made a big speech to the team before the game about keeping me in the bullpen that day because I had such good control and could bail the team out of a jam if I was needed. I was not consoled by his speech.
Sure enough, the coach brought me into the game with the bases loaded. So what did Mr. Good Control do? I threw EIGHT straight balls and walked in two runs. Holy crap, I never did that before in my life. Pride goeth before a fall?
It goes to show that tomorrow is not promised to any of us. We should embrace our joys and appreciate the wonder of our world and not take anything for granted, especially our loved ones and friends/companions.
Appreciate that, Jim, but as I said these were not losses like some others I have had. I had not seen any of the three in several years despite our close associations in the past. That said, they were good friends once, and it was quite a downer to see all three in the same obit.
Whatever success, joy, and good you’ve experienced in life it’s tough to match against those days when you and your teammates shared wins and losses together. I remember them as they were then.