by Trent Rosser
Thanksgiving Day we were getting everything ready and setting the table. We were just informed that our grandson and kids were on the way and would be at the house at any time. While we were running around like chickens with our heads cut off, I tossed my phone on the chair and it started to make a strange sound. Did you know that you can make and receive phone calls from Facebook. I did not know that and it showed that an old friend John Clark was calling. I have not talked to him in years. Let’s go back in time to the early 1990’s
One of my best friends after high school was a guy named Dewey. He lived next door to John. We did a lot of drinking and painting the town red. In the little duplexes of that complex, there were a lot of parties. Eventually John came around and all of us were hanging out. John was just about a year older than me and he had a girlfriend named Dorothy. They went everywhere together. It was just a matter of time before they tied the knot. Now hence lies the problem. Of course we were going to take him out for a bachelor party, but that is up to the best man. He chose Dewey as the best man and Dewey was only 20 years old. Yes he drank with the rest of us. So it was now up to the groomsman. Guess who that was? Yep, can you see the disaster already happening? Well, it wasn’t too bad. Since we were always partying, I wanted to make sure his bachelor party was going to be classy. So, with a lot of other friends and family, we took him to a place called the “Crazy Horse” next door to the old Kmart. It was a place for aspiring dancers to practice their trade in front of an audience. Of course since this was just practicing they did not have much of a costume to get in the way of the dances. I really did not want to have his bachelor party there, but his other friends and Dewey himself said to do it there so we did. I wanted to have it at the local church where I thought it would be more appropriate. But I was out voted by 5 to 0, I mean 4 to 1. I remember quite a bit from that night. I learned that night that you can get the groom on stage so the girls dancing can practice kicking without hitting him. I sure he was pretty scared because when the song first started he was a perfect gentleman, sitting straight up in the chair that they put on stage, but when the song was over he was slouched down in the seat. He must have had to duck to avoid being kicked in the head as the girls tried to kick above him. Shortly after that he moved and we all lost contact. Now a few months ago I received a friend request from a Dorothy on Facebook. My wife asks, “Who is that?” I was truthful when I replied, “I have no idea, maybe someone who likes my articles?” then just a day or two later I receive a friend request from her husband, John. It did not hit me who they were until Dorothy posted a picture of the wedding day. We are all there in our jeans and white shirts and bolo ties, (don’t judge the bolo ties!). It then hit me who it was.
Now let’s go back to Thanksgiving Day. My phone is making a strange sound and it is ringing but not a normal ringtone. I answer and it is John. Of course we start trying to talk and I am trying to figure out the video part of the phone. He said that he can see me and my face as I am talking and all I can see on him is his beard. Unfortunately we were not able to talk long as the kids and grandkid showed up and it was time to eat. I wanted to talk a little longer and catch up a bit and we did say that next time that they are in town that maybe we could all go out to eat and catch up a little. As of right now, I can still make fun of him because even though all I saw was his beard, he has more grey than me!
There is also another friend I wanted to talk about. Jerry Jones. Not the owner of the Cowboys football franchise. I met Jerry in late 1999. He was dating a good friend of mine and we became roommates for a short while. Now Jerry had a lot of patience and we had a lot of fun together. We lived not too far from a sonic and the employees there knew us by name. We even came up with a special that was meant only for us. We named it and ordered it all the time. We would push the little button and we would say “It’s us!” the reply was the same, “You two want your special? We would acknowledge that is what we were wanting and we would hear “Two heart attack express coming right up!” The “Heart Attack Express” was simple. A double patty melt with extra grilled onions, extra cheese, chili cheese tator tots and a large drink. My cholesterol went up just thinking about it. It was shortly after that he received a post card from his Doctors office and we were going to sent it to the tonight show for the “Headlines” segment. It was advertising a big get together and celebrate cholesterol week. They were going to have games and prizes and free cholesterol screening. Of course the bottom of the card also advertised, cheese dogs and drinks will be provided. So of course, let’s get that cholesterol level up and then do a screening! We lost contact shortly after that also. When we went to Santa Fe a few months ago, we tried to stop and see him, but he was not at work on the weekends. So if you ever on the state line of New Mexico and Texas, stop at Russell’s truck stop to see the museum of old cars and other classic and vintage memorabilia, and be sure to have Jerry tell you all about the museum. Just don’t ask about the “Heart Attack Express”!
Looking back at all the memories from old friends can bring back some good memories. It can also bring back some bad memories. As we go through life, we lose friends and we gain friends. We get upset with friends and sometimes we forgive friends. Also, sometimes if you are lucky, like I was on Thanksgiving Day, old friends can become new friends. Until then, I’m headed to Sonic for a “Heart Attack Express” if anyone knows CPR, meet me there!
