Our (Terrible) Sense of Direction

September 15, 2017 /  apco  /  1 Comment  /  Memories Journal

I met Adam when we were in 6th Grade when we went to Mary of Lourdes Middle school together. My first memory of Adam is listening to AC/DC “Thunderstruck” and head banging in the Ms. Zacharda’s band room before school. We quickly bonded over sports, professional wrestling, and music. (Although his musical taste was a little heavier than my own.) We went to school together for the next 7 years.

We were both shyish teenagers and our parents made us go to each others house to hang out just so that we would have some social life. (At least that’s what my parents told me.) We would watch wrestling, play wrestling video games, and most of all watch and talk sports. He was a Packers fan and I was all about the Vikes. But we both enjoyed watching and playing basketball, baseball, and golf. Yes, he was one of my first golf partners in middle school. He was the first person I knew with graphite shafted irons.

I enjoyed spending time with AC. We primarily bonded over sports. I tried to watch one football game a year with him, go to a Twins or wrestling venue, and he was my only friend who actually liked the NBA. We generally watched a finals game together throughout the years. AC would always listen to any issues that I would have and commiserate with me our inability to fix anything. (We are not man’s men.)

My two funny stories are with him both involve cars. Once we were leaving his house going somewhere. I was backing out of his mom and dad’s long driveway in my Ford Probe (a small sports car.) I turned out of the driveway too soon and backed into the ditch. After lots of him laughing and me swearing we realized that my car was stuck on the culvert too. So we had to walk up to his Uncle Jer’s house and he came down with a tractor, tied a rope to my car, and pulled us out of the culvert and ditch. His uncle laughed that neither of us could even tie a knot in the rope.

The other funny story I remember is we were driving around St. Cloud and somehow got very lost heading back to Little Falls. We ended up at some town with a big lake and a church. When we pulled into the church and asked someone where we were we found out we were in Buffalo. He said “oh, I was here last weekend to hang out with my cousin who lives in town here.” I said, “that’s great, I can’t believe you didn’t know where we were when we pulled into town!” We were 30 miles the opposite direction of Little Falls. Then I said, “at least you know how to get home from here.” He said, “I have no idea how to get home, I still don’t know how we got home last weekend.” He had a terrible sense of direction.

He was a great friend, he was always willing to hang out even with no notice. If I ever called him up he would answer, “What up G?”  We would chat and within three days we would hang out over some beers, games, or talking smart. He was a part of one of the most important days of my life when I was with him three hours before we went to the hospital for the birth of our daughter, Claire. I still remember his and Witt’s response when I told them we had the baby. Not printable!!!!!

I will never forget him and how he impacted my life from when we were 12 until 34.

Much Love,

G