Too little too late

I've had an invitation to the blog for a week now, but I have not been able to write. Every time I get on and see the pictures and read how much he is missed, I am too overwhelmed with emotions to be coherent. I probably won't be coherent, but I have to tell everybody how much he meant to me and how even though we hadn't spoken in years the world feels a little colder without him.

I did not know KC the bartender at the local gay bar, or KC the mechanic, or Sarah's KC, I knew KC the firefighter, the movie enthusiast, the budding musician, and I knew the KC that we all did, the KC that could light up the room and win you over in a single smile. I met KC at Video Casa in Taos. First he was a customer, but after a couple times of coming in and chatting he asked for an application. I knew how amazing he was already and recommended they hire him. He got the job and our friendship began.

I was in high school, miserable and out of place, and he and Chance (another coworker of ours) were my best friends. They were the people I spent my Friday nights with. Yes, those Friday nights were spent at Video Casa, but never in my life have I enjoyed working as much as I did with KC and Chance. We laughed. I remember it took a while for KC to get used to our senses of humor. Me and Chance were both from big families and were used to the mindless bickering in good fun that can develop between siblings. In the beginning he didn't really participate, but before long he jumped in and soon he was completely fluent in teasing. He told me I had tree trunks for legs, he was honest. If I noticed him checking me out and said "what?" he would say "just checking you out." That simple, never anything more, never a lie.

The spring before Pirates of the Carribean came out the preview was on another Disney film we had at the store, and at least once a week he would pull me into the kids section and we would watch the preview at least 3 times in a row. The man loved pirates. We had to go see the movie opening day, there were barely any seats and I swear I could have licked Johnny Depp from where we had to sit. I loved to talk about books with him but no matter what we discussed he would still contend that Johnny Cash's biography was the best. He would never get a tattoo from the same person twice, he hated mayonnaise, he believed in love. We played poker until 3 am laughing, drinking and tell embarrasing stories. KC was the only person I've ever seen get in a real fist fight. He was fierce and fearless.

There are so many things I wish I could say to him, I wish that I had been a little more mature when I saw him last so that I could have said them. I love him and miss him. Sarah and Gail, I never got to meet either of you but if KC loved you I know I would to, he loved people worthy of loving. I hope you can find some peace and happiness the way I know KC would have wanted you too. My thoughts are with all of you missing KC.