Bag of Randomness for Monday, April 16, 2018

  • Loyal BoN readers know about my best buddy since kindergarten, Jimi. Saturday was his birthday, but the day before, Friday the 13th of all days, he contacted me and told me his father died. It was an accident on a construction site, a bad fall.
  • Jimi’s father was not really a part of his life growing up. As long as I’ve known Jimi his parents have been divorced. But over the last decade, they started to become closer. I doubt either would say they made up for lost time, but they were getting closer. As a matter of fact, Jimi was a few weeks away from moving in with him. About five or so years ago Jimi’s father had a liver transplant and Jimi helped out as much as he could financially and in any other way you could think of.
  • I’ve only met Jimi’s father three times. He took us to the city park in Mineral Wells when we were in elementary school. I met him once in high school or college, and one final time at Jimi’s college graduation. As you know, I’m half-Asian, so there was always a camera in hand. That half of me totally lives up to the stereotype, I always try to capture memories because I hold on to the past more than I live for the future. I asked if I could get a picture of them together, and they begrudgingly agreed. It’s a bit of a funny picture since you can see the uncomfortableness in their faces and the space they keep between them.
  • The Dallas Morning News story about Jimi’s father’s death was interesting to follow. I found it in the morning and it was very vague and didn’t list his name because they wanted to let the family know first. Then I checked it later in the morning and it provided the location of the accident. When I checked it later in the afternoon it provided his name and more detail. I tweeted the article and to my surprise, one of my BoN readers and now friend, sent me the following text.
  • Jimi would often tell me that his father relied heavily on his AA group and talk about how everyone just loved the guy, and how helpful they were during his liver transplant. He was funny, which is just like Jimi. People just felt comfortable around him and he liked to make people laugh. Again, that’s just like Jimi.
  • Jimi’s father was a big fan of Jimi Hendrix, hence the spelling. His sister is named Geneva because, well, I forget but I’m just going to say it has something to do with the city or that he was drunk while filling out the birth certificate and his handwriting was so sloppy that “Jennifer” was the most legible conclusion.
  • I did call Jimi and Geneva’s mother on Friday. It’s one of only two friend’s phone numbers I can remember from my hometown. They’ve been divorced for forty years and she was just fine; however, she said she just wanted to be around her kids and comfort them. When we ended the call, she told me, “Keith, now you take care of my Jimi.” After the call, she sent me a text. It was a framed picture of her and my mother which sits near the kitchen table. She tells me she looks and thinks of my mother every day.
  • In case you are wondering, I’ve asked both Jimi and the AA member if I could write and share what’s going on.
  • What I find weird is how sad I am about Jimi’s father’s death. I didn’t really know the guy, but I’m really sad that Jimi has to go through something like this, even though we all basically will lose a parent.
  • In other death-related news, R. Lee Ermey died. I first got to know him in the second Fletch movie where he played a corrupt televangelist. Most will remember him as the drill sergeant from Full Metal Jacket. I also enjoyed his History channel show called “Mail Call”.
  • In more death-related news, Barbara Bush appears to be very close to it. Her son, the former president, is scheduled to present Bono the George W. Bush Medal For Distinguished Leadership on Tuesday. My guess is that the event will be canceled or rescheduled, as it should so the former president could be with his mother. Our local paper did interview Bono about the upcoming event.
  • Hey Bono, in case you are reading this. The Mavs and Stars aren’t in the playoffs, so nothing is really happening at the American Airlines Center in the next few months. It sure would be really neat if you could schedule a concert there. Heck, start the tour early and launch it from there.
  • Hackers stole a casino’s high-roller database through a thermometer in the lobby fish tank
  • I don’t really know much about John Mulaney but I thought he had a great SNL opening monolog and did a great job hosting. Deniro was certainly a surprise. I’ve read how many SNL people don’t like working with him because he half-asses it through the show.
  • GIF – In Saving Private Ryan, a bullet goes through a medic’s canteen. Water first starts to pour out then blood.
  • Oh, I met a monkey over the weekend. That’s him on my shoulder. His name was Dallas. I’m kidding, his name wasn’t Dallas, I can’t remember what his name is.
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6 Responses to Bag of Randomness for Monday, April 16, 2018

  1. JayF says:

    – Sorry for your friends loss. My buddy from my school days lost a parent a few months back and I too hate that my friend has to go through this. As you wrote though, we all have or will have to eventually go through it.

    – Cool monkey you have there.

  2. Bryan says:

    Condolences to your friend and his family. Losing a loved one is always difficult, but it is especially hard under such sudden and tragic circumstances.

    My daughter’s cheer banquet was at the conference center attached to that hotel last night. I mentioned to my wife as we were driving in that I read your Tweets about the accident on Friday.

  3. Sandra (Harlan) Rose says:

    Hey Keith! I read your blog when I can and love seeing your sweet family. I’m so sorry to hear about Jimi’s dad… please pass on my condolences from one HSU alum to another.

    • Geeding says:

      Sandra! I’m so glad you took the time to comment. I’ll be sure to pass your message on to Jimi. Gabe and I were recently talking about the spring break trip y’all took to the Grand Canyon. Man, how thankful all of us SSBC folks were for you and Theresa opening up your apartment for us all to hang out. I wasn’t there when it happened, but I do recall a certain traumatic pinata experience.

  4. Sandra (Harlan) Rose says:

    Oh my goodness! How is Gabe? Hope he’s doing well. Those days were so fun. And yes, the dang pinata that sent me to the emergency room! I had to have half of my thyroid taken out last year and the doctor asked if I had ever had any trauma to my neck or vocal chords and I said, “Well now that you mentioned it…”
    Those days were so fun… you guys are all interwoven in my college memories. Great times!

    • Geeding says:

      That’s a funny story about your thyroid. To be honest, it’s the funniest thyroid story I’ve heard.

      I had a neighbor who was in the Air National Guard, or was it the Air Force Reserve? Anyways, he was doing his two-week stint in Germany. For some reason, I became a topic of conversation and it turned out the person he was speaking to was your former roommate.

      Gabe is living in DC doing awesome Gabe stuff. 🙂

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