A long time friend passed away yesterday, unexpectedly. He was in sort of poor health the last few years. Bell’s Palsy, was on the list for a liver transplant. He passed from an esophageal varice that burst.

I live in a small town. Small enough that many of my preschool classmates were still in highschool with me 12 years later. My friend Steve was 5 years older than me so i didn’t go to high school with him, but i had classes with his two younger brothers. I was in boyscouts with his youngest brother. Steve is the one who ‘invested in me’ when i was lost and couldnt find my way. Better or worse, he is partly responsible for me becoming who i am today. He was my journeyman when i was coming up. He left service plumbing to become the lead plumbing/mechanical inspector for the local area. He always had time for me, no matter how busy he was. Personal, or work related he always answered when i rang. He would come by jobsites that he knew i was working juat to shoot the shit for a few minutes. He was one of the few people in my life i could comfortably call my friend. I used to score grams of wax for him and his wife, when i was still puffing on the regs. I know that work/career isnt everything but ive lived the plumbing life for so long that i can’t picture anything else. I owe him greatly.

I hadnt seen him in over a month. Life/work/etc was just too busy. We (he, his wife, and I) were supposed to meet up sometime over the last weekend and just shoot the shit. Catch up. Laugh about stupid work shit, and rip a couple dabs. I put it off for some last minute sidework for an acquaintance. I figured we would just do it this coming weekend instead. Now its too fucking late and i regret not seeing my good friend one last time.

Thank you Steve. Rest in peace buddy.