A Sad Anniversary

Today I was reminded that a year ago yesterday was the last time I saw my friend Hugh Braithwaite. It was our college reunion weekend. Hugh only came for Friday night.

He joined our gang at the G’man, the bar we hung out at in college which is still the same place we hang out. We spent the evening catching up and then Hugh, Doug and I drove around Carlisle late at night, looking for a place to eat breakfast at 1:00 in the morning.

Carlisle has changed in that no place was open, not like when we used to do the same thing in college. Eventually Doug and I dropped Hugh off at his microtel before going to our AirBnB where we rehashed all the conversations of the evening.

Hugh was leaving just a few hours later to go to a family wedding in DC. He texted us a video of him dressed in a blue raw silk suit dancing and laughing at the wedding. It was so Hugh. Hugh was a great dancer. Sending us a video of him having a great time was a way of saying, “See, I couldn’t stay at the reunion. I had this better offer.”

We had no idea that it was the last time we would see him. He was our elusive friend. The life of the party when he was with us, but in demand everywhere. He always chose to be with his family, and rightfully so. He loved them so much and was so proud of his children.

That last night we were together he told us wonderful stories about the people they had grown up to be. Thanks in no small part to his beloved wife Carolyn. I am so thankful that we had those conversations as our last ones. He had found some higher power.

When I first learned the terrible news of his sudden passing in February the first thing I thought of was how much he loved his family and how happy they made him. He had told me that in those exact words. He didn’t talk about his own success, just theirs. So proud. Just a year ago last night.

Our college gang, Doug, Suzanne and Dave talk or text regularly about Hugh since we were last together at his funeral. Our grief is collective and we lean on each other a lot. I am not sure we will ever get over losing him so early.