[fastfredracing]

We are away at the beach ,celebrating Easter, and my dads 70th birthday. I kept getting calls from a number I did not recognize on Thursday. I texted them to tell them I was out of town for a few days, ( thinking it was someone needing work done), and they replied that " Rich passed away today" I only know a few Riches , and was floored to find out that it was a childhood friend .
I ran around with basically 3 older guys when I was a kid. Rich, and two brothers that all lived in the same neighborhood. I really looked up to these guys. They were all 4 years older than me, and they had me up on motorcycles, shooting guns, drinking beer, riding around in cars, and chasing girls at way too young of an age. I thought these 3 were the cats meow, and I really learned a lot from them (not all of it was good) , but always fun.
He always had a problem with the bottle in his adult life, and I guess he was drinking pretty heavily for the last few years. He had hit his wife, and she left him earlier in the week. .
I am guessing fueled by a gut full of the drink and a head full of guilt and despair over his actions set him off. He shot himself in the chest. He has an 18 year old son, who I guess is a mess over the whole affair.
I had just spoke wit him about 3 weeks ago. He was starting a new job, and sounded pretty happy. I would have never seen this coming. I think we all have our demons inside
No one had seen him in 3 days, and he was a talkative sort , and mowed the lawns for two of the older neighbors in our old neighborhood. A neighbor went over to check on him, and found him in a pool of blood.
My good friend Ron , is really taking it hard. We are all going to try to get together when I get home, and throw back a beer in his memory.
I have lost quite a few friends over the last few years, this getting old is not all it is cracked up to be.
I am sure a few of you have been down this road. Always good to share stuff like this with you guys, thanks for listening.