I grew up with Derrik. He was my closest friend. We played baseball at the "Big Swings", we stayed the night at each other's houses playing Nintendo. We ate dinner while laughing so hard food would come out of our noses. We played until it was dark and when we heard Linda's sweet mommy voice calling us in for dinner. Linda would call Derrik, "boo" and Derrik would call her "Linda."
"Boooo, it's time for dinner" she would say. Then we would run home.
We'd go to the rivers and creeks and catch snakes. We swam in lakes until we were too sunburned to move, and, we roasted marshmallows over campfires more times than I can count.
We rode our bikes from one end of Quincy to the other, also countless times. We met at the Quincy pool nearly every day during every summer for years. We swam and played hard, and we were typically so hungry that we could eat our weight in food.
We often spoke with British accents and called each other Harold and Jennings, usually saying something like, "I say old boy Jennings, pass me the caviar." "Indeeeeeed Harold, indeed."
We loved pizza. When our parents informed us that we would be meeting up with each other at Round Table for pizza, I knew we both leaped for joy in anticipation.
We had fights and then would make up minutes later.
We called each other on the phone...a LOT. Usually just to check in and see what each other were doing at that moment. "Nothing much" I would say. "How about you?" "Not much either. Want to come over?" "Yeah, I'll ask my mom" I said.
We made up songs and also listened to our favorite tapes together (Derrik loved Rod Stewart and Michael Jackson). We sat in the backseat of our parents cars calling out passing cars as "cool car," usually cars that were sporty like Trans Ams or Corvettes.
Derrik was a year younger and a grade lower than I was. We went to different elementary schools, so we were never able to see each other during the days over those years. But when I was in the 8th grade and Derrik was in the 7th, we finally went to the same school. I regret not hanging out more during that year. We had different friends, but--we-- were still friends. And yet, there was some kind of social gap that existed. I regret that now looking back.
After I moved away from Derrik and from Quincy, we visited each other a few times. We continued to call each other every Christmas to inform one another of our bounty. Then like that, we grew older and lost touch. I talked to him briefly maybe five or so years ago; it was good to talk to him, but I could tell we had grown apart. We were different people and had allowed time to wedge itself in between us. Regardless, I think we both knew that our friendship would last forever, no matter what.
I miss you, Harold.
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