Good Feeling...
The last 2 days have been, awesome... well given the circumstances... I have never seen a collection of people so large lined up around a parking lot and feeding out into the street, for anyone's funeral proceedings....
But Nick is worth it-- everyone in 4 towns, more than 3 states, and across the country, it seems came out for the wake-- and there were traffic problems, and all because my best friend passed away... Of course, causing traffic problems are part of Nicky's history... When he was born they had to shut down the GWB so his ambulence could get across to New York-- that night was the first of 3 times he died... He always bragged that he died 3 times... and was brought back-- I always told him it was because he had a greater purpose... I thought that meant living 'til 100 and becoming the most influential man in the world...
Nick, to me, was the most influential man in the world-- because comparatively, who at 24 years old can bring in the numbers like He can?? Nobody....
I was out there all night just going down this 2 and a half hour line, shaking hands, hugging, and talking with everyone we ever knew-- and in a way, I felt like I was a guest at a reunion I thought I'd never see... Everyone, just there as a testimony of the boundless love Nick had for them all... That night, a huge group of us went down to the town bar-- appropriately it was karaoke night-- and I got on the mic, and I gave an abbreviated toast-- And there it was again, the good feeling of having friends and family with me, and in my mind's eye, I heard him saying thank you, and saw him sitting in the corner, laughing and patting people on the back-- getting me to hug as many people as he couldn't...
The next day was the funeral... Once again, people poured out into the streets trying to fit into the small church-- My father played classical guitar as people walked in and sat down-- Nicky loves my dad's playing, and many a time when he would stay over-- I would wake up at seven and hear my dad playing guitar-- Nick would be sitting next to pop, drinking the last bit of OJ in the carton, listening and smiling... I'd be like "dad, its early." Nick would 'shush" me, and then turn to my father and say, "continue..."
So that was a big thing-- Nick's dad lit up when he came in and saw my dad playing...
He approached me and asked that I be a pallbearer... I was the first one he asked, and it felt like this lump had formed in my throat, but i wanted to do it more than anything...
So, there I was-- in front, with Arden next to me, Justin, Jerry, and Matty behind us... bringing our buddy up to the alter...
After the service, and after a private viewing with just the family... We brought him out... We picked him up, and we put him in the car... It was the last time i'd ever see him...
Here, anyway...
Downstairs, in the church, everyone was eating, laughing, talking-- just like the bar that night... it was just good...
I went home, got on my motorcycle, and just went on a ride to all our spots... I can still hear him in my head... "See You Soon..."
But Nick is worth it-- everyone in 4 towns, more than 3 states, and across the country, it seems came out for the wake-- and there were traffic problems, and all because my best friend passed away... Of course, causing traffic problems are part of Nicky's history... When he was born they had to shut down the GWB so his ambulence could get across to New York-- that night was the first of 3 times he died... He always bragged that he died 3 times... and was brought back-- I always told him it was because he had a greater purpose... I thought that meant living 'til 100 and becoming the most influential man in the world...
Nick, to me, was the most influential man in the world-- because comparatively, who at 24 years old can bring in the numbers like He can?? Nobody....
I was out there all night just going down this 2 and a half hour line, shaking hands, hugging, and talking with everyone we ever knew-- and in a way, I felt like I was a guest at a reunion I thought I'd never see... Everyone, just there as a testimony of the boundless love Nick had for them all... That night, a huge group of us went down to the town bar-- appropriately it was karaoke night-- and I got on the mic, and I gave an abbreviated toast-- And there it was again, the good feeling of having friends and family with me, and in my mind's eye, I heard him saying thank you, and saw him sitting in the corner, laughing and patting people on the back-- getting me to hug as many people as he couldn't...
The next day was the funeral... Once again, people poured out into the streets trying to fit into the small church-- My father played classical guitar as people walked in and sat down-- Nicky loves my dad's playing, and many a time when he would stay over-- I would wake up at seven and hear my dad playing guitar-- Nick would be sitting next to pop, drinking the last bit of OJ in the carton, listening and smiling... I'd be like "dad, its early." Nick would 'shush" me, and then turn to my father and say, "continue..."
So that was a big thing-- Nick's dad lit up when he came in and saw my dad playing...
He approached me and asked that I be a pallbearer... I was the first one he asked, and it felt like this lump had formed in my throat, but i wanted to do it more than anything...
So, there I was-- in front, with Arden next to me, Justin, Jerry, and Matty behind us... bringing our buddy up to the alter...
After the service, and after a private viewing with just the family... We brought him out... We picked him up, and we put him in the car... It was the last time i'd ever see him...
Here, anyway...
Downstairs, in the church, everyone was eating, laughing, talking-- just like the bar that night... it was just good...
I went home, got on my motorcycle, and just went on a ride to all our spots... I can still hear him in my head... "See You Soon..."