A FRIEND'S SUICIDE
Entry posted by marlen
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THIS AFTERNOON, I CAME HOME, SAT DOWN IN MY EASY CHAIR, OPENED THE NEWSPAPER, AND EVENTUALLY CAME TO THE OBITUARIES. THERE , I READ ABOUT THE DEATH OF ONE OF MY EX-BUSINESS PARTNERS OF 10 YEARS+. I CALLED A MUTUAL FRIEND TO FIND OUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED. IT SEEMS DANNY CAME HOME DRUNK, TOLD HIS WIFE HIS LIFE WAS A MESS AND DECIDED TO PLAY RUSSIAN ROULETTE. THE FIRST TWO TRIES FAILED, BUT THE THIRD ENDED HIS LIFE AT 50.
LET ME BACKTRACK. DANNY AND I GO BACK ALMOST 30 YEARS. 12 YEARS AGE, WE DECIDED TO GO INTO BUSINESS TOGETHER. I HAD OTHER INTERESTS TOO, BUT OUR PARTNERSHIP PROVED TO BE VERY SUCCESSFUL. IN TIME, WHILE I WAS SAVING MONEY, HE BOUGHT A HARLEY, CORVETTE, STARTED DRINKING HEAVILY AND LIKED TO GO TO THE CASINOS ON A REGULAR BASIS. IN DECEMBER 2003, I HAD ENOUGH AND WE PARTED WAYS. I HOOKED UP WITH SOMEONE ELSE AND SUFFERED MY STROKE TWO WEEKS INTO MY NEW ENDEAVOR. DANNY TRIED TO KEEP THE OLD BUSINESS GOING, BUT AFTER A FEW MONTHS GAVE UP. THE DRINKING AND GAMBLING CAUGHT UP WITH HIM. SO DID THE DEBT HE ACCRUED OVER THE YEARS. IRONICALLY, HR GOT A JOB DEALING BLACKJACK ON A GAMBLING BOAT.
HE HAD THREE CHILDREN. DANNY WENT THROUGH A BITTER DIVORCE IN 2001 AND IMMEDIATELY MARRIED A GAL HE HAD MET A YEAR EARLIER. THE YOUNGEST OF HIS CHILDREN, DANIEL, WAS A LOST SOUL. I TRIED TO HELP HIM, BUT HIS FATHER WASN'T THE BEST ROLE MODEL. ANYHOW, DANIEL DECIDED TO GO INTO THE ARMY. HE AND THREE OF HIS FRIENDS GOT DRUNK ONE NIGHT, AND DANIEL TOLD THEM HE HAD A BULLET-PROOF VEST. HE PUT THE VEST ON, AND ASKED ONE OF HIS FRIENDS TO SHOOT HIM WITH A SHOTGUN IN THE CAR. THE VEST WASN'T BULLET-PROOF AND DANIEL DIED AT 19.
DANNY NEVER RECOVERED FROM THIS TRAGEDY AND IT PROBABLY WAS THE MAJOR FACTOR IN HIS SUICIDE.
NOW HERE'S AN IRONY. THE NEIGHBOR AND HER HUSBAND BEHIND ME THAT I HAD SO MUCH TROUBLE WITH IS DANNY'S WIFE'S BEST FRIEND, THEY WORK TOGETHER. SO I LOST CONTACT WITH DANNY OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.
I FEEL BADLY BECAUSE OF THE LOSS OF HIS SON. BUT I ALSO FIND HE HAD EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE A SUCCESSFUL AND PRODUCTIVE LIFE. UNFORTUNATELY HE CHOSE A PATH TO NOWHERE.
WHY AM I WRITING THIS? I NEED TO PUT DOWN IN WORDS HOW CHOICES AFFECT HOW WE LIVE, AND HOW WE MUST LEARN TO COPE WITH ALL THE ADVERSITIES THROWN AT US. LIFE AIN'T EASY. NOBODY EVER TOLD ME IT WOULD BE
ENOUGH
MARTY 
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