Black Death Tequila

[Stfwells]

I woke up this morning to a text from an old friend. I hadn't heard from him in a really long time, so I was fairly shocked to hear from him. Unfortunately, he had bad news. He informed me that my old roommate and really good friend had died.

 

Kyle was one of those strange humans. In the same vain as Oscar Zeta Acosta, as Thompson described: "One of God's own prototypes. A high-powered mutant of some kind never even considered for mass production." A larger than life personality that could control almost any situation with his charm, wit, or if needed, strength. Until one fucked evening back in 1999.

 

As the case with most larger than life personalities, he lived fast and hard. It was a struggle to keep up with him, but I tried. After he moved out, he threw a party at his new place. It started early with some BBQ and a few good friends. Some pills and Black Death Tequila were on the menu for dessert. Unfortunately, this combination hinders not only motor skills, but also memory. So what exactly happened, no one clearly remembers. But what everyone does remember, is that Kyle fucked a guy up...bad!

 

Apparently, they had some words...and the guy was rushed off to the hospital in critical condition. Thankfully the guy lived, but would never be the same.

 

I didn't / don't condone his behavior. Kyle spent 10 years in prison for his actions. I wrote him a time or two over the decade, just as other friends of ours did. Just to let him know that he still had friends on the outside. Most of us also kept in touch with his mother, to make sure she didn't need anything.

 

Kyle got out of prison almost a year ago. We spoke a time or two after he got out. But they were brief exchanges in which I could sense his struggle on staying on the straight and narrow. Most of our "clique" moved on and grew up. Kids, careers...living the life of a thirty-something. As friends I don't think we gave him enough support.

 

Kyles body was found in a creek behind an old mill, about a month ago. At the time the body couldn't be identified due to severe decomposition. But they identified him late yesterday as our friend. A few months ago he left the drug treatment facility where he was staying, never to be seen or heard from again. The autopsy report stated that there were no signs of physical violence or foul-play....Which leaves one to assume it was his own doing.

 

Today is a day that Kyle would have prepared for. As young punks we "celebrated" this day (and everyday at 4:20) religiously in the past. I find it funny that TODAY, of all days, is the day we learn of his passing. I feel that celebrating life is the proper way to morn the dead. And this day will be no different...

[metalmonkey47]

Sorry to hear about your loss man.

Pretty sure I heard something about that on the news recently, just not too much in detail.

 

 

All you can do is keep his memory close, and remember the good times.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I watched a friend go down a similar way a few years back, still at a young age. It's not easy to bear with, but just know you did what you can.

[pharouh]

Wow, Sorry he ended up that way. Sometimes there's just nothing you can do.

You'll always have the memories of him though. :console:

[Eagle_Adam]

Sorry to hear about your friend, i will burn one in memory of him and the many friends i have lost to very similar circumstances.

[Hoosier77]

Sorry to hear that man, I got separated from a group of friend about a year back when he started heading down the wrong road. Up for several days straight my friend thought it would be a good idea to go into a cave and cook some crystal. Using only flashlights and tennis shoes he slipped on a ledge and fell 60ft into a water filled pit. By the time the crackheads he was with got down to him it was to late. he had severed his neck and if he was alive after the fall he was paralyzed and couldn't get his face out of the water. i hope both of our friends made it somehwere better.