I spent this past Friday night cleaning up my office at work. Moved a bookshelf, and this photo of Donnie in my corvette at my first shop fell out of a book I must have stashed it in 18 years ago. I forgot all about it. I welled up pretty good after seeing it.
Donnie's bus stop used to be right in front of my first shop. He would always waddle in after school, and ask dumb questions, and bother the piss out of my landlord and I . We both grew to love this kid. We shared him as a shop grunt. We paid him to clean up around the shop, paint, , clean cars, etc. He became my little buddy, and he hung around for 2 years, working nights after school a few nights a week, and most days in the summer months.
My girlfriend remembers me saying that " if I ever have a kid, I hope his is like Donnie" I find it funny that they have similar looks, and personalities .
I think he was 12-14 when he hung around our place. At his time in his life, he was a good kid, He was a regular honor roll student, and a hard worker. I don't know what happened to him in the next few years, I moved my business, and never really saw him much after that. I guess he got into smack in high school, and a few years later , he was dead
My first thought when I found this photo was to run it over to his parents , and give it to them. It has been about 7 years since his passing. I thought they may appreciate it, but I also don't want to open the floodgates for them . Think I should?