A Real Reality Check

I had a wake up call of sorts today. A real reality check if you will. I received a phone call at work that went something like this:

"This is Michael"
"Michael who has a brother named C and a brother named G?"
"That would be me."
"And you grew up in Rossdale?"
"Who is this?"
"This is Mark." I knew who it was immediately when he said his name. Mark and I were best of friends from about 14 to 24. Inseperable. We did everything together. We were each other's best man in our weddings. And yes unknown to him and the rest of civilization I was in love with Mark. The last time I heard from him was about 7 years ago and he had gained about 120 pounds and lost most of his hair. (the love had dissapated by then)
I was afraid he had called to say one of his parents had passed, as they were both older than my parents and his father had been in bad health for sometime. But it wasn't that...

"Michael, Kathy died yesterday."

Kathy was his first love, and my first female friend. She was a few years younger than us, but she hung out with us all the time. Her mother was killed in a car accident when she was 11 and she moved in with her father and his wife and we became aquainted with her through them. She was young beautiful and full of life. She was one of my ex-wife's bridesmaids. Mark dated her from the time she was 13 until she was 18. When they broke up I was devastated. My two best friends not to be together. It just wasn't fair.
Mark went on to marry a great girl, and Kathy had a son, and I am not sure but I don't think she ever married. After she had her son I lost contact with her.

"Oh my God, Mark."
"Yeah that is exactly what I said. It looks as though it was an apparent heart attack. She went to the hospital experiencing chest pain and they sent her home telling her it was acid reflux. By the time the ambulance arrived she was gone."

Another part of my childhood and teenage years gone. She was only 41. It seems as though it was yesterday that we laughed and cried and was grwoing up together. Sunday we will say goodbye. Thanks for being a part of my life Kathy. May you rest in peace.