Sean's birthday

Dear Brian,

Today is your brother, Sean's, 42 nd birthday. We celebrated yesterday at their house. We gave him a collage of photos of you and your other brother, Michael, and your Guinness tee-shirt and your Boulevard hat. I love seeing bits of you on and in other people. It helps me remember you alive instead of the last few days of your life as you were dying that are currently embedded in my mind.

I was thinking that today I would share a memory of you and Sean. I wasn't around in your life for this memory, but I know it was one of your favorites with Sean. You had so many, but I know this is one of your "golden oldies." You replayed this one many times.

You were driving home from college your freshman year. Your parents had moved away from Pekin to Decatur, but you still had your high school girlfriend, who was a year younger than you in Pekin. Sean and Cheryl lived in Pekin, too, so you were planning on staying with them. On your way home, you had some car trouble outside of Springfield. You had to take your car to a shop run by a couple of local rednecks as it completely stalled out. You called Sean and Cheryl to come aide you. The local tow and mechanic shopped had a couple good old boys working there - one named Delbert. (Sean, I think the name is wrong, so correct me.) Delbert was an interesting looking fellow in his stained mechanic jumpsuit with embroidered nametag, greased up hat with mussed hair showing slightly underneath and a few missing teeth. Delbert was working some good old-fashioned diagnostics on your engine by grabbing a couple of wires simultaneously to see if they were "hot." They were. He jerked, buzzed and sizzled a couple times stating that wasn't the problem. As you and Sean and Cheryl looked on in amused amazement, the other mechanic stated, "Yup, that shocks the shit out of me, but don't seem to mind him none."

Your car was eventually fixed and you had your weekend fun. And we still enjoy reliving the memory.

Happy Birthday, Sean, on behalf of Brian, myself, Gavin and Grant.

I miss you, Brian. I love you.

KEEP BELIEVING