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You think there is always time – until there isn’t…

I met Marvin when I moved into his school district when I was 13. Initially we were not friends. I don’t make friends. I don’t trust friendship and never reach out. But he saw something in me that made me friend worthy, and he befriended me anyway.
Through high school, our shared interest in being different and even rebellious kept us together. When the other kids were pursuing Tri-Five Chevys and Corvettes, we were driving Volkswagens and coveting 356 Porsches.
Senior year, after our final, final exam, we tossed a dime onto a road atlas and vowed to go wherever it landed. It landed on Windsor, Canada – not far from our little farm town in Ohio. That was a good thing, because our graduation ceremony was to be held in three days. We slid into town on graduation day, dirty, unshaven, barefoot, and not fitted for gowns. The school principal was furious and made us borrow socks and shoes and to put on whatever gown they could find over our cut-off jeans and tee shirts. Our parents weren’t happy, but they weren’t surprised.

Because that was us.

After high school we pursued our separate lives, through different colleges, marriages, careers – the lives people live. He got a job with NATO and moved to Europe with his wife. We kept in touch and maintained that special bond, though we didn’t see each other often. I would stop in Portugal to see him when I was in Europe, and he came home every few years. He was home about 3 years ago, and Vicki and I planned to go to Portugal soon. We weren’t in a big hurry, we were busy, and there is always time in the future.

Until there isn’t.

“Dear Pat, I wanted to let you know that Marv passed away peacefully this morning. He had been in poor health for a few months and now he is free to be healthy and strong. You were a very important friend in his life and I wanted you to know before I posted a public message about him. He always spoke of you in the most glowing of terms. Raise a glass to his life that was filled with love, laughter and adventure! Much love,”

Rest In Peace Marvin Lee Thordsen, the best friend I ever had.