Remembering a friend

I lost a friend this week.

We'd know each other since I was 19.  It was my first summer at Roaring Brook Ranch in Lake George.  The summer after my first year at college.  I waited tables for breakfast and dinner, spent days by the pool and evenings listening to the Stony Creek Band.

It was a pivotal summer for me.  I was away from home without the obligation of college classes.  It was a time that I learned about alternative music, worked on a great tan, did Jane Fonda's workout regularly and made new friends.  Some of those friends I still keep in touch with today.

I had my '78 VW Rabbit that summer as one of the only ones with a car I could rely on.  One evening we all went to Albany from Lake George to see a concert at JB's Theatre.  The band was Squeeze and the opening act was The Hooters.  They were all the rage in the '80s.

We split up to drive there and in my car was Allison Jacobs, her brother Michael Jacobs and Ed Klan.  We laughed and sang songs from the concert on the way back.  We became friends.  Ed and I developed a special bond back then and stayed in touch for a while.

About two years ago we reconnected.  He'd married, had two kids and followed his father's footsteps and became part of the NYPD.  In fact he was 4th generation NYPD.  A sergeant, and he was proud to be part of that brotherhood.

We became friends again.  In a different way this time.  We caught up.  Nearly 20 years of stories to share.  Griffin and Emme were on either side of Ellie age-wise and that gave us plenty of laughs!  We thought they'd have made good friends too if we had lived closer.

Ed Klan was a good man.  A great dad and a wonderful friend.  Those are all the stories that have come out this week as he died on September 30th.  This photo above was the scene outside my front door on the day I found out.  I'd like to think I have another angel in heaven who's watching out for me.  Truly if nothing else I'm glad I knew him and that we had the chance to evolve our friendship from teenagers to grown ups.

An Old Irish Blessing

May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind always be at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, and rains fall soft upon your fields. And until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of His hand.