Words, Mere Words • Eulogies

In Memory of Dave Jones

Copyright © 2002 R. V. Williams

May 23, 2002

I almost didn't even open the email....

I didn't recognize the address. My first thought was that some spammer had slipped through the firewall. I must admit, I take a bit of childish glee from deleting those messages without ever opening them.

But then my mind belched up a name from my past. RAJONES - Rick Alan Jones, "Rickey Lee" I used to call him. I have not heard from him in years...

I first met Rick in 1979 - the summer of my high school graduation. We were two members of a group of kids that hung around that summer and the next, working in a drive-in theatre in the heat of the night then running around unchecked after the place closed - sometimes until dawn.

Rick had an older brother named Dave. Dave was one of a kind. When he and I first met we agreed that we had met somewhere before. Every so often the subject would come up - even years later - and we'd quiz each other: Did you ever work here? Ever know a girl named Kitty? Ever play football in such and such park? We never did figure it out.

Dave and I hung around from time to time. I remember once when we bought flowers for one of the girls in our group on her birthday. She surprised us both with a quick kiss in return. Another time we were walking together through a crowd at a rock concert when Dave accidentally knocked his hat off of his own head, scattering a couple of joints across the floor. There must have been about six cops standing there watching us pick those things up - I don't know why we weren't carted off.

Dave was a happy person - no matter what the situation. He wore these big, heavy glasses and always had this crooked grin on his face. I don't remember him ever saying anything bad about anyone else. He seemed to like everybody. I don't remember him ever having a steady job or a steady girlfriend but that never seemed to matter to him. Dave never planned his life, he just lived it.

The last time I saw Dave he was shooting pool in a neighborhood bar. "Did you know a guy named Bob growing up?" Nope. Did you by any chance go to kindergarten at the church on Camelback? No luck. We stood and chatted for a while - he was living back at home while his financial situation was mending. I watched him play pool for a bit - I remember being struck by the poised and relaxed manner in which he played. I realized he'd been playing a lot lately... We parted, agreeing that we should get together again sometime. He offered that if he wasn't there at the bar he'd probably be at his folk's house. I knew that address all too well...

That was probably 15 years ago.

I opened the email from Rick last night. Dave was diagnosed with colon cancer in February and passed away last month.

Sometimes I feel like there is a little thread that joins us to one another. Even though I had not seen him in years and years there was some unspoken comfort knowing that somewhere out there, however far or distant, the other end of that thread was still attached to Dave Jones. Someday I'd bump into him again and he'd push up his glasses and smile. Even though my life would be in better order and my future brighter, there would be little doubt that Dave would be in the better mood.

So I stand here knowing now that the thread has gone slack... I stand here knowing now that the wiser of the two of us was not me...

I will always remember him fondly and I shall miss him dearly.

Van

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