I remember the first day I had ever met you like the first day I ever tasted chocolate milk. I'll never forget it and it's something I wish I could have everyday. It was a late summer night and I was just a little guy at the tender age of 12 or 13. You had won this giant stuffed animal from one of the carnies and were off to the same house I was going to. Jasken's fair party. It was always Jaskens and I hanging out all the time and he was one of your best friends. It was the summer before 8th grade. I know this because that's when we started to become best friends. It really didn't happen until the spring. Baseball... who would have thought that this sport would have brought us to together. 8th grade baseball had the A team and B team. I got cut from the A team and got sent to the best baseball season ever. I don't think I have had that much fun playing such a boring sport. You manned Short Stop and I played 3rd base. I always gave you shit about the only reason you got to play SS is because I knew you couldn't play any other position and I didn't want to take your spot. I remember days at practice where I tried to teach you how to swing a bat. Oh man, I just remember how awful you were. But when you hit that ball you either hit a small grounder or you smoked that thing. Thinking now I probably should have forced you to use a bigger bat... We pretty much came inseparable playing that side of the field. We said screw sunflower seed. So we would always buy that giant bag of jolly ranchers and you always ate the ones that I hated. You took the Lemon and Watermelon. I'd take the Cherry and Apple. We always thought we were badass having this huge jolly rancher in our lip and going out and playing the field...
The one game I'll never forget is the first game we won of the season. It was against one of our rivals. I always was the lead off hitter and the first at-bat I just smoked one dead center for a triple. After that I knew we had this game. I think that game we turned 3 or 4 double plays. Me to you to 1st base. I'm sure we could have turned at least 5 or 6.. maybe even 7. But you and that shoulder of yours gave out. You had such a sweet diving stop but I knew something was wrong when you tried to throw the ball to first and it barely made it there. That forced me to switch to SS. This is when I pulled off the most amazing inning ever. Top of the last inning (can't remember if we only played 7 or if we played 9) game is tied and I just belt another one to dead center for a triple but the throw was off and I just easily jogging into home. The best part of this inning was when we were playing the field. I turn a double play (6-3) and BAM! game over. We won and you were just so stoked even when your shoulder was all jacked. You were like, "dude that play was so sick, You literally jumped off 2nd base, dove, caught it, and picked off the guy at first."...
I think that summer I probably spent every single day and if not spent the night every day. I can't even remember all the things we used to do. I do remember our freshman year you made me join this crazy YLVC club for this girl you wanted. You always chased after the older girls and I thought it was cool so I tried too. (I guess this is why I'm such a good wingman. I've been doing it for so long) You convinced me to go to this camp where we stayed in log cabins with a bunch of YLVC members from the state. We rode the short bus all the way up to the cities... I was sleeping until our crazy teacher/driver smoked the car in front of us during rush hour because she had the map blocking the entire view of the windshield. I slam into the seat in front of me and I just remember waking up to you laughing your ass off. After that, we talked to R.L., T.U. and K.L about some really random stuff... You were after KL and I tried my luck with RL. Freshman boys going after Junior girls. Go big or go home right? I just remember that weekend was terrible. The only highlight of that weekend was making that badass fort with our bunks and mattresses because we both failed miserably with those girls. The things you did for girls... but I think it's rubbed off on me though.
The best part was learning how to play basketball from you. It was your first love and it showed. You were so passionate about the game. It was easy for me to decide to pick it up because I saw how happy you were when you got to play. So I decided to go out for basketball in 9th grade. I was absolutely terrible. But you stuck with me and kept working with me. I think we played 1v1 and PIG all the time. I don't think I started to become somewhat average until the next year on B-squad. Where I started a few games. I think the best game was when it was you, foels, and I starting as the guards. Man that was a great game, even though only foels, paulson, and I scored.
Basketball kind of hit the back burner about junior year. Where we both had girlfriends. Kind of bummed that it happened but it was pretty hard for us to juggle our girlfriends, sports, and making sure we caused enough mischief each day. This might have been one of the best years we had. It was one of those moments where we thought we were just kings. Everything was going right for us and thought nothing could stop us. The first trimester we took a 4th hour study hall. The longest hour of the day because of the 3 lunch periods. Remember all the times we skipped school and went to McDonalds or to our friends place to watch them drink and go back to school. The best was the 2nd tri-mester when we had 1st hour study hall. We both put in a form saying we were working for our parents in the mornings so we could just sleep in. It was great especially for the long away games we had at night. I think every morning I'd pick you up to go to school. Otherwise, I'd spent the night and we'd talk about girls and listen to music. You taught me pretty much everything that I needed to know about girls. Surprisingly, I still remember it all. But you helped me with all my girl problems by either telling me what to do or getting that liter of vodka and being like, "call your mom and tell her you are staying the night." I'm glad that I learned how to drink alcohol with you and your cousin. If it wasn't for that I'm sure that I wouldn't 1) be able to handle my alcohol and 2) be as much of a fun drunk as I am. That first night I still laugh thinking about it. We were watching the newest American Pie movie and we were drinking red kool-aid and Silver Wolf. All the crazy things that happened and your mom still didn't hear us at all.
The rest of high school went pretty fast for us. We hit some bad times where we didn't speak to each other. I learned a great lesson from that though. Fighting with your friends because of a girl is not worth it. And I'm glad I learned it being pissed off at you. I remember we almost got into that huge fist fight at school when I came up to your locker, slammed it shut, and stared at you. I'm pretty sure you wanted to hit me as hard as I wanted to you. It probably would have went down if BK didn't stop it all. I can't remember what happened but after that somehow we got over our little girly fight. Senior year blew by and it all just happened way to fast. I never told you but man I was really proud of you for finishing and graduating high school. I know you really didn't want to but I convinced you that I'd be your tutor and other things to make sure you finished. It was tough for you since you worked every weekend 3am to 3pm. and missed school every Friday due to the work schedule.
Then college hit. I know this really made you felt out of the crowd. With all of us talking about our different college friends and different things we were doing, I know you felt out of place. I tried my best to make sure that didn't happen and signed us up for that dodgeball league and you signed us up for that awesome sand volleyball league. Those were some of the best summers playing sand volleyball with our team and beating up on every team except for those old guys for old world. Every Thursday night we'd have a fire and cook food afterwards and drink beer. You, Joe, and I would climb your apartment's garage for fun and throw things at Peter and Matt. Sadly, it was short lived...
The invincible life that we once lived came to a reality. I've never been at a loss of everything like I was that night. I've come a long ways from that night, from meeting unbelievable friends, spending weekends in hotels in different cities, and falling hard for a girl. But I'll never forget that night... outside of your parent's house, late night, cool breeze, sitting there in the grass just speechless...
I'll never forget the memories that I have with you nor will I ever forget what you have taught me. You were and are the most influential person in my life. I always looked up to you like my big brother. You introduced me to my two favorite loves in this life: Basketball and Guitar. And for that, I can't thank you enough.
My favorite thing to remember was almost every morning after I spent the night, we would build up little forts and shot rubber bands at each other for hours. Or the countless summer nights we spent under the street lights playing ball at the middle school courts. It took me so long to pick up a basketball after it all happened but I'm glad that I picked it back up. I had so much fun playing at my last bball tourny. Wish you could have seen it.
Much love from the other side,
Nate Miller
PS: Take a second and reflect on who are most important to you with this song.
Happy 23rd Birthday BHP.
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