Happy Birthday to Rich!

Happy Birthday

Dear Friend

Thanks for being such a true friend to me all these years ---for all of the fun times and for helping me through the tough times.

You are the one who introduced me to Tchaikovsky. My parents and grandparents always listened to classical music, but somehow I had never heard any of his music before.  You used to always paint in the west half of your living room. One day I visited you while you were painting and listening to the most beautiful music I had ever heard.  It was one of Tchaikovsky's ballets. 

It was then that he became my favorite composer.

Randy took this picture of Rich in 1965  when they were together in Paris. 

Remember when you threw rocks at my bedroom window at 3:00 a.m. to go watch the big hotel fire?

Remember when my mom was out of town and so I house cleaned the master bedroom to surprise her?  I showed you all of Dad's funny old ties and clothes.  My twelve-year-old cousin, David Anderson, had come up to spend a month with us. After we watched "THE UNTOUCHABLES" on TV, you and David decided to dress up in some of Dad's old clothes and pretend you were gangsters from the 1920s.  

David is covered with "blood" and is holding daisies to signify his untimely demise.  It looks like we added a few white roses, too.

But why are you crying, when you are the one holding the blood stained knife?

I love how we made it look like he was lying in a pool of blood, don't you?

"Oh, you beautiful dolls, You great big beautiful dolls. . . ."

One night after we had a party in my backyard, you along with your brother Jon, Francis Cherry, and Kenny Cox decided to raid my closet and get dressed up in my clothes. You all even put on make-up. I love the expressions on all of your faces, especially Jon's.

These were the days when girls had to wear skirts or  dresses every day to school. I can't believe I wore the white skirt that Kenny Cox is wearing. 

Here's a trip down memory lane:

For those who don't know, you are standing in front of your house with your mom, your beautiful wife Maureen, and your adorable little Laurie

This picture was taken the Christmas of 1971, but I thought the summers in Price were magical.

Remember when we kept hearing all of those stories about the "airport monster," so we went out there one night and you disappeared? I was so scared to be out there in the dark all alone wondering what happened to you.  Then I saw you, but then you fell over pretending like something had happened to you. You rascal.  It was fun.  We had the best time growing up in Price, and we didn't get a TV until I was in 7th grade.  We all made our own fun.