bittersweet weekend9:26 p.m. - 2004-06-14
It was all planned out...my brother's 30th birthday party...it was gonna be great...lots of people, including some old friends...a cake which said, 'Happy 30th birthday you old fucker'(which he jokingly told his fiancee he wanted it to say)...we had hung out for several hours on Saturday evening and night and the party was on Sunday. Sunday came though, and the day wasn't as wonderful as we planned it...
First I'm going to start with the disappointing news instead of the bad news. All mine and Ron's old friends that Amber and I had tried to get to show up, didn't. Jon Edwards just failed to get back to me. Jon Jeff's baby was teething badly so his fiancee wouldn't let him leave. Tom Evans had to work a double-shift. Pete was out of town because of a death in the family. Chris Sommerville never got called, for some reason. Rob couldn't make it either. In the end, it was just Ron, Amber, me, a few of Amber's friends from work, their former neighbors Adam and Debbie, my mother and grandmother, and Rachel, Amber's half-sister. Amber's other sister never showed with her kids. Ron's friend Louie, who he does construction with, didn't show up by the time I left. I just felt terrible about it, even though I did everything I could to help get people there...
Now, for the bad news. In fact, it was TERRIBLE, HORRIFIC news. When I went into Hannaford to get the cake that I ordered, I was told something I really, REALLY didn't need to hear. A guy that I've known for over 8 years and worked with for over 6 years there, committed suicide on Friday. Rob Tettamant was a really nice, friendly guy. He wasn't typical, by any means. Regardless, he was a great guy and a wonderfuly person. I worked in the Bakery with Rob for several months, during which he and I talked a lot and took breaks together frequently. He used to date Kim's old roommate at Niagara U, Danielle Geer, who is the person through which I met Kim. Danielle and Rob haven't been together for some time, but they were still somewhat civil to each other. Kim has talked to Rob innumerable times, including the last time she was in the store, just a few weeks ago. As always, Rob took the time to talk to Kim, as he did with any friend or acquaintance he would see. Deep down, I'm REALLY upset about it, but I'm struggling for those feelings to surface, cuz I can't seem to fathom the thought that he, of all people, would take his own life. Of course, I'll eventually come to terms with the fact that it will NEVER make sense, at least not ever enough to justify that it happened.
Besides knowing Rob and his ex, Danielle, I also knew Rob's sister Kate, who also worked for a while at Hannaford. Kate was a very cheery person most of the time. She had the kind of smile that could warm a naked man in Siberia, right down to his soul. Kate and Rob were pretty close, and she was the first person I thought of when I heard about what happened. I worry terribly what kind of effect this tragedy will have on Kate, and that wonderful cheeriness that we all know her for.
The only service is Wednesday morning, and I have decided to miss work for it. Originally I was only planning to go to the initial calling hours at 9am, and leave before the funeral procession at 11. But Kim told me she wants to come out for both the hours and the funeral, and she really wants me to be there with her. At first I got upset, feeling that she was putting me in a no-win situation by either making me miss work or have her mad if I didn't go to the funeral. But I realized that it wasn't about me attending the funeral, it was about me being there for my fiancee to help her deal with this tragedy. So I apologized to Kim for being an ass, and told her that, without a doubt, I will go to the funeral with her, cuz she wants me to. Occasionally, I do understand my role in our relationship, and this was one of my better moments in doing so. So, I'll be seeing my babydoll tomorrow at least! yay!!
So, in a nutshell, this weekend that was supposed to be such a great celebration fo a milestone birthday for my brother, turned into an utter disappointment and tragedy. Although he still enjoyed his party nonetheless, it wasn't anything like we hoped it would've been. And I didn't get to enjoy it nearly as much as I should've, because of the terrible news I got earlier that day. Let's hope weekends like this don't come around too often...
3rd Trimester!! - 2006-01-19
A New Beginning... - 2006-01-03
STILL ALIVE - 2004-11-01
when life gets TOO real - 2004-08-02
bittersweet weekend - 2004-06-14