Funeral For A Friend (924 hits)
Category: NoneRating: 1.14 on 16 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by moneyshot (View user info) at 2004-12-15 07:09:32 EST
My mother was deeply religious. I went through my young adult life nodding my head and going through the motions looking for her approval. She used to say that God only gives pain and suffering to those who can handle it. Growing up in a strict religious household I never dared question it. But I didn't believe any of of it then and I don't believe any of it now. I know
because of Jeff.
I rushed to the phone barely making it inside with my keys still hanging out of the lock in my door.
"Hello?" I said uncertain of who could be on the other side. It was my dad.
"Son, I hate to be the one to tell you this but..."
I interrupted him telling him to hold on while I grabbed my keys and closed the door. I picked up the reciever and sat down on the kitchen table ready to continue the conversation.
"Ok, sorry dad. What's up?"
"Your friend Jeff... I hate to be the one to tell you... well he took his own life yesterday. I just thought you should know."
I hung up the phone in shock. You see Jeff was my best friend in grade school. He was probably one of the only reasons why I made it through school. Jeff was somewhat misunderstood by most of our peers. He was a stalky awkward kid who enjoyed NASCAR and fishing. But more importantly he was my friend and he stood up for me no matter what. We were as close as could be.
When I first met Jeff there were alot of things about him that would probably be considered not normal. He saw me against the fence at recess being taunted by some older kids to touch a dead bird on the ground. I told them I didn't want to but they just wouldn't listen. Just as I was reaching down I saw one of the kids fly backwards.
"Leave him alone. Leave him alone I said."
And with that the kids hurried off in the opposite direction. We were as close as could be after that. Jeff was kind of a rough kid. He would often explore the woods behind his house and brag about various bruises he got from wrestling matches with his brothers. He was especially proud when he got a black eye from a fight after school. The teachers asked him about it the next day and he told them he had been hit with a baseball he was tossing back and forth with Jebediah his younger brother. Jeff was a tough kid. He loved to fight and he especially loved to pick on Jebediah.
I had witnessed him several times jumping out of trees or running up from behind and tackling his brother to the ground only to punch him repeatedly when he was down. He'd laugh about it and his brother would dust himself off and run inside. He would often borrow Jeb's toys and give them back to him broken. It was really bad when he snuck up on Jeb and a girl from his class holding hands on the way home from school threw clumps of mud at them from a ditch on the side of the road. We both thought this was hillarious back then. But why wouldn't we? Kids can be and usually are cruel.
Being inside his house gave me a weird vibe. I wasn't really sure what it was back then because we were not there very much and I didn't care anyhow. I was just glad to have someone to play with. His dad usually sat inside drinking beer in his recliner while we were up to mischief. I had only met him once and that was when Jeff had accidently left the gate open on his way to school and his dogs got out. They had gone through all the neighborhood trashcans. We walked back from school and I saw his dad waiting outside with his belt in his hand.
"JEFF, GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE!" he said.
Jeff looked at me and said "You should get out of here."
I nodded and as I began to walk off I heard his dad yell out "Hey you. Kid. Come here."
I complied and walked over to him nervously. He asked me if I had seen the dogs out anywhere to which I replied "No, sir." And then he asked my name. After I told him he told me to run off which I did lest I get a whipped myself. That was the only time I ever saw the man in the years that I hung out with Jeff. In fact we never went a day without seeing eachother except the day he broke his leg. He told me that night on the phone he had fallen out of a tree while playing war with Jeb. That kid had the worst luck I thought to myself.
Years later in highschool he called me at 1 a.m. obviously shaken. I asked him to calm down and tell me what's going on. He said he had gotten in a fight with his old man and wanted to crash at my place tonight. Apparently, there were punches thrown and he explained that it had just gotten blown out of proportion and it had never gotten that bad. He just needed time to cool down. I told him that would be fine and he crashed with us for about a week.
About a month after that his father passed away from advanced kidney disease. At the funeral Jeff cried like a baby. There were few people at the funeral home that day.
Jeb had moved out a year ago with his girlfriend and her family. Jeff went home to am empty house that night. I worried about Jeff alot after that. I called him often to make sure he was o.k. He was drinking alot and I knew it. Jeff wanted me to stop worrying about him. He told me he would be fine. I wanted to believe him. He encouraged me to take the opportunity to move out of this "hell hole" as he put it. He really believed in me chasing my dream of being a writer. I told him I would keep in contact and we'd talk often if I moved. He smiled and told me to "Get out of town already."
About a year ago we lost contact. He stopped returning my phone calls and e-mails. I would often ask my father how he was doing or if he had run into him by chance and occassionally my dad would run into him and tell him to call me. Jeff always said he would but then never did. I can't even to begin to imagine what Jeff went through all those years. He always acted so tough and in control I never thought he would ever fall. God, I wish it could have been different for you. I miss you so much. I wish I could have been there for you like you were for me...
May you rest in peace my dear friend.
User Reviews
Submitted by Shlongy (user info) at 2004-12-16 14:33:10 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
Sad shit indeed.
Submitted by Lahrin (user info) at 2004-12-16 14:11:46 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I'm sorry to hear about your loss. I hope everything begins to look up for you. Take care of your self.
Submitted by wasabi (user info) at 2004-12-16 05:50:34 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No comment
Submitted by TheSpook (user info) at 2004-12-15 21:16:56 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by WiKi (user info) at 2004-12-15 18:41:33 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
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Submitted by DeathJester (user info) at 2004-12-15 07:46:57 (#)
Ranking: -1
At your funeral I will sing the requiem.
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Saves the Day. Love 'em.
Also.. I thought this post was gonna be about the BAND Funeral For a Friend.
Want a good song? 'Bend Your Arms to Look Like Wings' - Funeral for a Friend.
Argh. This isn't the right post for all that, eh? Oh, well.
Submitted by Girlwithaclue (user info) at 2004-12-15 18:31:59 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
You are welcome :)
Submitted by moneyshot (user info) at 2004-12-15 18:25:29 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Thanks for the kind words Girlwithaclue.
Submitted by Girlwithaclue (user info) at 2004-12-15 18:19:20 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I am sorry for you and your friend. I have had some of my friends take their own lives. It is always hard but you just have to remember that they are no longer in pain. Let go and remember the fun times you had together. Take Care.
Submitted by munkeypants (user info) at 2004-12-15 12:05:55 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
well, i dont quite understand what the -2's are for...
very nice.
Submitted by MaximusPadus (user info) at 2004-12-15 10:43:25 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Loren1 (user info) at 2004-12-15 10:02:02 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Sounds like a follow up to "Stand by me."
Submitted by Jeanneee (user info) at 2004-12-15 09:46:35 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Ivy (user info) at 2004-12-15 08:06:34 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
No Comment
Submitted by AwesomeJohnson (user info) at 2004-12-15 07:55:51 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by DeathJester (user info) at 2004-12-15 07:46:57 EST (#)
Ranking: -1
At your funeral I will sing the requiem.
Submitted by The_Great_Tom (user info) at 2004-12-15 07:09:54 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
No Comment