RIP Bahamabear
In the first month of moving to Waco, it was settling in that I was there to stay. It had been a whirlwind of moving, class schedules and the honest attempts to avoid the two debutante bimbos from my HS who later transferred. I still didn't know anyone. Not anyone cool. I came to Baylor to get the f out of small town hell and to make a fresh start. Living in a dorm seemed like a bad idea.
While killing time in Penland, planning my next adventure or escape, a non-resident of our floor came roaming with some swagger. Judging by his more fashionable clothing and half-days beard, he wasn't the guy that would try to turn me into the Dean of Students or try to convert me to a religion to which I was already committed in the uncomfortable chairs that made up DIG meetings.
He stopped, looked me in the eye and said, "What the hell are you doing?"
"Nothing, you?" I replied.
And without blinking he responded, "Do you want to get some beers?"
It was that fast. Like two gunfighters in a shoot out fast. Grab your wallet and sunglasses, it's time to go. There was a cloud of dust left behind us on that dorm floor as we raced to the parking lot. That's what it was like to be cool in the late 80's, early 90's. If you could size up another person by appearance to determine their suitability for late night beer runs from Penland, you were cool. Those first campus friendships later became introductions, greetings, and welcomes into every other aspect of life and work. Sometimes bad, most of the time good. We still laughed thirty years on about that meeting, in the company of people who could never fully understand
Though we'd known each other may 45 minutes, we scammed our ID's,picked up some beer, and headed to an well-hidden juke joint. I was sort of initiated into the trustworthy crowd of future bankers, lawyers, and business folks that made up Kelly's week night drinking crew. I'm sure some are on this site, but each stayed connected over the next 30 thirty years with Kelly's humor and sincerity.
In the words of our mutual friends, "Bahamabear was a no-bull**** guy," You got the truth from Kelly with no agenda, no spin, no manipulation. It's why, after 30 years, it's easy to recall the fine details of our hilarious first meeting and how we were able to greet each other like long lost friends every time we saw one another. In a world of legalese and digital blur, Kelly was a welcome world of straight talk. After being gone traveling the Earth, seeing him in Waco was like reliving my first days where life changed, and we made every opportunity to connect and help one another in the world.
We texted yesterday and agreed to meet soon, I was messaged today with the news he had passed.
For those who never met him, he was a Baylor fan. He was every bit of us.
He was also an amazing friend. No eulogy can encapsulate the laughter and good times that occur over thirty years of friendship, but his passing will leave an enduring scar.
Kelly made an impact upon all. His personality is irreplaceable. And he will be sorely missed.
Godspeed Kelly.
RIP
And until we meet again.
In the first month of moving to Waco, it was settling in that I was there to stay. It had been a whirlwind of moving, class schedules and the honest attempts to avoid the two debutante bimbos from my HS who later transferred. I still didn't know anyone. Not anyone cool. I came to Baylor to get the f out of small town hell and to make a fresh start. Living in a dorm seemed like a bad idea.
While killing time in Penland, planning my next adventure or escape, a non-resident of our floor came roaming with some swagger. Judging by his more fashionable clothing and half-days beard, he wasn't the guy that would try to turn me into the Dean of Students or try to convert me to a religion to which I was already committed in the uncomfortable chairs that made up DIG meetings.
He stopped, looked me in the eye and said, "What the hell are you doing?"
"Nothing, you?" I replied.
And without blinking he responded, "Do you want to get some beers?"
It was that fast. Like two gunfighters in a shoot out fast. Grab your wallet and sunglasses, it's time to go. There was a cloud of dust left behind us on that dorm floor as we raced to the parking lot. That's what it was like to be cool in the late 80's, early 90's. If you could size up another person by appearance to determine their suitability for late night beer runs from Penland, you were cool. Those first campus friendships later became introductions, greetings, and welcomes into every other aspect of life and work. Sometimes bad, most of the time good. We still laughed thirty years on about that meeting, in the company of people who could never fully understand
Though we'd known each other may 45 minutes, we scammed our ID's,picked up some beer, and headed to an well-hidden juke joint. I was sort of initiated into the trustworthy crowd of future bankers, lawyers, and business folks that made up Kelly's week night drinking crew. I'm sure some are on this site, but each stayed connected over the next 30 thirty years with Kelly's humor and sincerity.
In the words of our mutual friends, "Bahamabear was a no-bull**** guy," You got the truth from Kelly with no agenda, no spin, no manipulation. It's why, after 30 years, it's easy to recall the fine details of our hilarious first meeting and how we were able to greet each other like long lost friends every time we saw one another. In a world of legalese and digital blur, Kelly was a welcome world of straight talk. After being gone traveling the Earth, seeing him in Waco was like reliving my first days where life changed, and we made every opportunity to connect and help one another in the world.
We texted yesterday and agreed to meet soon, I was messaged today with the news he had passed.
For those who never met him, he was a Baylor fan. He was every bit of us.
He was also an amazing friend. No eulogy can encapsulate the laughter and good times that occur over thirty years of friendship, but his passing will leave an enduring scar.
Kelly made an impact upon all. His personality is irreplaceable. And he will be sorely missed.
Godspeed Kelly.
RIP
And until we meet again.