Sweet Catastrophe

I’ve known Pete for most of my life. His mother and mine were once best friends, and as infants, so were we. Our mothers lost touch and so I didn’t meet Pete again until we were around 8 years old. He’s never been a consistently prominent facet in my life, but he’s absolutely always been there.

I took off work Friday to go to the viewing. I went to town on my own so I could go see the babies first…sort of my way of keeping the day from being totally heartbreaking. I got to the funeral home around 6:30, which was when everyone was planning on getting there. No one was there yet, but I went in anyway. I got as far as signing my name and I had to go back out. I couldn’t walk in there alone. Finally a handful showed up and we made our way in. I was okay until I walked into the room, and when I saw him, aside from the absolute sobbing, all I could think of was, “I guess it is him.”

The service on Saturday was, overall, nice. A lot of us had some gripes with the preacher’s section because he really and truly turned it into a conversion service. Pete had faith, but Pete was not religious, nor was he Baptist. It was angering to have this man who didn’t even know Pete, harping on Pete saving our lives by us giving ourselves to Jesus…fortunately, I wasn’t the only one who was so infuriated.

I drove Andy to town Saturday, and he had asked if I’d take him to some places Pete had always said he wanted to take him. We decided on lunch at Danny’s Pizza, and somehow everything snowballed and our group took over Danny’s. There were only two tables not occupied by our group. It was good though. It was good to all be together and laugh.

Andy and Laura were both riding home with me and so we went to Holt’s Bakery as well for one last ‘Pete food stop.’ I believe they were both satisfied with their introduction to Holt’s and will drool with me in the future when we discuss it.

Seeing Pete helped a lot, but it still seems unreal. I’m still half expecting to walk out of the apartment and find him with a glass in one hand and a smoke in the other. The pain is numbing a bit as well. I’m on the road to normalcy.