Weekend from Hell

Hi all. Sorry if any of you missed me, I was on holidays since last Wednesday. Not a fun few days...

Thursday and Friday went okay. Went home to the family, stayed there until Friday evening and then came back here to Waterford. As I was walking into my house I got a phone call from my girlfriend's best friend asking me to her 21st that Sunday. Nice one, I thought, a fun weekend ahead! Alas...

I was woken up on Saturday by my mobile phone ringing beside me. It was my Dad. I answered him and I could tell from the quiver in his voice something was wrong.

DAD: "Stephen, sorry to have to tell you this... John*... John was killed last night in Spain. He... ah... he fell of a balcony."
ME: "... ... Fuck... ..."
DAD: "I know, I'm sorry Stevie..."

John was a friend of mine from Primary school. He's the third person from the year above me to die in the last five years. We weren't that close, but he was a friend. I spent the rest of the day in shock.

I decided to go to the 21st anyway. It might take my mind off things. I got on the bus at 12.30 and arrived 3 hours later. Not a bad bus journey considering. I got to the birthday girl's house. It was a fun gathering but I was distracted. I went into my room for the night to change my shirt and my girlfriend Claire* followed me. We started talking and we came to the conclusion that although we really care about each other, it just wasn't working between us. I knew this, I just didn't want to acknowledge it. We decided to break up. A mutual decision, the right decision but I still hurt. I know it wasn't working with her but I will miss her.

That night we all went clubbing. I drank waaaaaay too much and then everything hit me at once... John, Claire, the drink... and I broke down in the middle of the club. Spent the next hour outside trying to compose myself. Claire came looking for me to see what was wrong. I told her about John. I spent the rest of the night spilling my heart to her about John, about her, about everything. It was such a relief to get everything off my chest. I think we are closer friends now than in the whole nine months we were going out.

And that was my holidays, not the best, but definately the most memorable.

Claire, I love you & I will miss you.

John, God speed. I hope it's better up there than down here at the moment. Put in a good word for me with the Big Guy!! ;)

Life extinguished way too early,
God takes what we earned fairly,
Life demanding more than I can give,
God challenges us, our life to live.

04/08/2004

Anyways, that was my weekend. Definately the most eventful of my recent life.
Stevie

* Names changed