Pat remembers

[ This is another old FB story I wrote after finding an old friend again. He knew Flint well and we shared a memory or two of him. Again I hope you like it...]

 So this last August or thereabouts, I was reunited with a long lost friend. His Name is Pat, We used to wander this city to skate together. We met in High school was friends for years after and then had some falling out.I think its been about 11 or twelve years since I had last laid eyes on Pat. Pat got me back into skating and during one session we were skating at Paseo park ,  sitting on a ledge reminiscing bout the days of old, Pat told me about his last encounter with Flint "Busta" Beck.

Pat told me that he was hanging out at Gecko's bar and grill [I assume the downtown one] he actually ran into Flint. Flint was there waiting on his girlfriend. Pat and Flint sat down and drank for a while before making plans to meet up the next day or so to skate. They both parted ways and met the next day.

Pat Described Flints skating as nothing short of the incredible, original style that I knew him to have. Flint rolled around in the improvisinal style that gave him his reputation that he was proud of. He was not a cloned skater he defied the streets skating and dominating everything from the smallest insignificat obsticale that most skaters would be above skating. I loved skating with him.

I could see Pats eyes shining with the warm memory of our fallen friend, as if actually seeing it like a video in his mind. He smiled the whole time he remembered. I asked Pat about how Flint was back then and Pats smile faded away. He told me that Flint had a heavy sorrow that followed him. That when Flint smiled you could see the emptyness inside. He also told me that Flint seemed happiest when he was skating. Then Pat stopped talking.

I sat there in the silence of Pat's memory.Why wasn't I here? I began to feel jealous that Pat had a more recent memory of my Beloved friend. Why wasn't I here for him?

We sat there for a few minutes more before getting up to leave. Pats memory fell to the side as Pat spoke of his Bride to be and their iminent union. I told Pat I'd wear my uniform and he said that he would love to see it. Plans for the next session were made and lunch was following. As we walked to my truck I almost looked over my shoulder and yelled for Flint to hurry up cause we were leaving, as was his custom to frantically squeeze every bit of skating in. But when i turned all I saw was his memory and young kids forming new ones...

-B