Tammi's World

Charlie

Wow. Saturday seems like the longest day I've known in a long time. I'm not used to feeling useless, and waiting to go to sleep so I can get up and get on a plane is pretty damned useless if you ask me.

So I spent the day thinking about my friend in Orlando, T, and her husband Charlie.

I've got a million memories in my head and I need to get them down. So I'll put some of them below the fold - just in case you aren't interested.

T was the first friend I made when I moved to Florida. She was the buyer for my largest steel account. We hit it off immediately and it wasn't long before we were good friends.

Both of us were single, our divorces newly minted. We were both healing.

Charlie worked at the same place T did, out in the plant. Quiet, charming (Oh, he'd argue with me over that) and so damned funny. He had his eye on T, but she was having none of it.

T & I had plans to attend a concert. Charlie found out and wanted to go along. Actually, he wanted to go with T. I tried to back out, but she was adamant that I go. So the three of us met up at her house and went to the concert. I was, ummm, well, a little excited. OK - I danced through the entire thing. And sang. And hollered. They weren't real sure what to make of me - especially Charlie. It turns out - this was their first date. Thank GOODNESS I didn't scare him off.

Charlie is the brother I wish I had. We had so much fun together. And he never judged me. No matter how stupid my decision, how irresponsible my choice - he just loved me. That was his greatest gift.

And his love for T is absolute. And what I love MOST about him. They were not one of those couples that were into PDA. They bickered and picked. But all in fun. They were perfect together. Ying and Yang. The couple you just HAD to hang out with.

Charlie and I loved to push T's buttons. Every. Chance. We. Got. We were like kids together. Poor thing, I don't know how she put up with us.

And oh, the man was magic with a computer. Self taught, there was nothing he couldn't do with a PC.

I can't not talk about his golfing. Like everything else he did, he was fantastic at it. I'll never forget when he got his first (yes first) hole in one. It was at one of the big courses in Orlando. And man oh man oh man - do NOT mess with his clubs. THAT, would surely get you in deep shit. Take my word on that one....hehehehe

I simply cannot grasp the idea that when I get there I will not hear his laughter. Or see his smile. Or get one of his absolute hugs. I cannot imagine this life without him in it.

I trusted his opinion completely. He was the best judge of people I've ever known.

He had bad judgement in football teams, but I always have forgiven him for that. But it sure did make for some great "discussions".

He used to give me a rough time about my "6' minimum". Every time he met one of the guys I was "interested" in, he'd find some way to stand next to them and then give me "the look". If he was any where CLOSE to being the same height I knew I'd get some shit for (as he put it) passin' him up for a short guy. hehehehe

I lived with them for a few months at one point. Oh my - the times we had. The three of us, with their neighbors, were always up to something.

Nights curled up on their couch, talking the night away. OK - T and I talking, he couldn't get a word in edgewise. But he tried, bless his heart.

Actually, Charlie wasn't a big talker. He preferred to listen. But when he did pipe up - you wanted to hear every word he said. It was just that good.

Now, you may think I'm romanticizing him. I'm not. He was that special. Everyone loved Charlie. He defines the phrase Good Man. He is, in my book, The Standard.

Mama Vi loves these two. She said, when she first met them, how much Charlie reminds her of Daddy. That's the highest compliment I've ever known her to give.

I'm going to miss him. But I'm so lucky to have known him. He is my friend. He is my brother. And he is gone way too soon.

Posted by Tammi at March 18, 2007 05:19 AM | TrackBack