Garry,

Yesterday, we said goodbye to the physical form of you.  You would have been proud to see the number of people who came to show their love and respects for you.  There was plenty of laughter and tears, but you would have approved of the balance of both.  People walked in and made your mother and Jimmy aware of their sentiments and kind words. 

We all gathered into the chapel and took our seats.  We sat on that awkward left side as you should remember our talks about attending church and always sitting on the right.  Viki, Travis, Harrison, Jonathan, his girlfriend, and I sat on the bench as your Uncle Corley presided over the service.  All your friends were there that wanted to attend: Kimberly, Dale, Sarah, Mark & Mike, Janna, Sandy, John, and his boyfriend, Richard and his boyfriend…just to name a few.  We listened to a song by Wynonna called “You Were Loved.” 

Your old friend, I can’t remember her name but remember that it was the one who lost all the weight and you temporarily dated, stood before the crowd and spoke about how much you meant to her and what an impact you made on her life.  After she stepped off stage, I offered to say a few words for you.

I spoke of how brutally honest you were and how much we brought each other back to center point.  I spoke of how that not only you were my brother in life, you were also my sister.  I recalled that wonderful day while at The River’s Edge, you came running across the grassy yard screaming “Mamma! Mamma!” and ran into me, almost knocking me down to give me a hug.  Of course, I didn’t say you were drunk off your ass…I just said it was one of your more colorful times.

After the service, John and his boyfriend, Kimberly, Travis, Harrison, Viki, and I went to Applebees, sat at the bar, and all had a drink in memory of you.  I had beer, even though I know you hated it.  Kimberly and the guys had your favorite Long Islands.  No matter what drink we had, we raised our glasses, including the bartender who raised the glass bought for you.

So, as you can guess, we might have said goodbye to your physical form, we said hello to you spiritually.  We know that you are standing somewhere, buying a pack of cigarettes or getting a bottle of Long Island Ice Tea, running late, as usual, to get to your angelic choir practice.  I can see you doing a solo of some Janet Jackson song…probably “Let’s Stay A While”.

Just know that while you’re singing that, I’ll be singing along with “I Miss You Much”. 

I’m fighting back tears as I type this, both tears of sadness and of happiness.  You’ve been taken from our lives way too soon, but you’re at rest from the hell you faced near the end.  Goodbye my dear friend and brother.

Along with all the great times we’ve had, there have been a few rocky times.  Like all “true” friends, the gravy of our friendship was tested and made pure.  The inner bitches were exactly that…bitches.  We were two of the most stubborn people  on this earth.  Together, we were like brick walls that wouldn’t budge.  Sometimes, the walls would get to high and we couldn’t see each other.  Those were the truly hard times.  When I couldn’t see Garry past the cold, evil bitch hiding deep inside him, there was a disconnect and I truly and deeply hurt.  But, on my side of that, I can be an emotional sponge and hold everything inside until it explodes and hurts those around me and in the end, myself.

Once, a few years ago, Garry sent me an email with something he knew he should have said to my face.  Those who really know me know that if there is something you want to tell me, something that I should really know, you don’t send it to me in an email.  Have the decency to say it to my face and then we can discuss the matter.  He had decided that he could write everything out in an email, send it to me with the line, “My mind is made up and there’s no need for you to say anything about it.”, and think I would be fine with it.  The sponge effect set in and I didn’t open my mouth to say a word.  For almost a month…possibly more…I didn’t say a word to him.  We could pass within a few feet from one another and you could feel the iceberg between us.

One Saturday night, we all ended up at the bar for some event.  After being there for about an hour, we had drank a few beers and some harder drinks.  As any person knows who has drank quite a bit, alcohol can and will act as a truth serum.  We ended up within a few feet of each other and it took one or two words said by each other and then the floodgates opened full blast.  Everything came out and by the time we were through, our minds and our tear ducts were spent.  We could barely talk from a mixture of hoarse voices and crying.  We continued to drink that night and from then on, we never had that problem again.  As time revealed, the reason for the email and the eventual breakdown never came to fruition.  That is, until 2011 when he did finally move to California.

I have a brother that I love with every ounce of my being, but Garry was that brother I wanted that was close to my age and could relate to almost everything going on in my life.  For quite a long time, Garry referred to me as “Mama” and the other half as “Deddy”.  Yes, it was as strange as it sounds but it came from the relationship we had.  If there was something that arose in his life or a decision he made, I was the first person to open my mouth and tell him what I thought.  If I didn’t think it was a good idea, I would tell him and then give him the opportunity to either agree with me or give me the reasons why he really needed to carry on.  We both did that to him on many occasions.  If we hadn’t have done that, I am sure we all would have been just as close, but maybe we helped him make some important decisions.

The strangest of friendships can come from the strangest pairs of people.  We couldn’t have proved that statement more correct.  My tastes were on one end of the spectrum and his was on the other.  We both loved to write to get our minds clear.  We both had a love for science fiction movies and books.  We both were interested in fitness and eating healthy food when we wanted to.  The difference fell on the collectibles from Swarovski where he worked or the Disney movies and prints.  I’m interested in hiking and camping and college football.  He drank Mountain Dew like it was water.  I drank water most of the time.  I love trying all types of wine and beer while Garry was a hard liquor and cocktails person.  We managed to make things work when we were hanging out and the friendship endured as we always knew it would.  Hey, that’s what best friends are for.

I have been MIA lately…maybe not in physical form but in mental stability.  There’s no correct or logical way to train someone or teach someone how to accept the passing of a loved one.  When someone becomes such an important part of your life, your brain finds it hard to accept a truth if it pertains to that person physically being removed from your presence for eternity.

On January 20, 2012, my dear friend Garry passed from this world.  Not only did I consider him my friend, I also considered him my brother.  We were very close in that we shared many of the same values and had the same quick temperament.  As we always said, we both had an inner bitch and when something needed to be said, that inner bitch did not think twice before letting the truth come out.  As we both believed, the truth hurts sometimes and everyone needs to hear and feel it often.  On the total opposite end of the spectrum, there was a spot so sensitive that the slightest hurtful word from a loved one would split us in two.

I met Garry (yes, there are two “R”s in his name) in 1999 after living in the area for a few months.  I was working for the now defunct WB Studio Stores in a nearby mall.  A few months after starting there, he and two others were hired.  I was working mostly evenings which meant working late to fold clothes and clean up after messy customers.  We were working one night when he needed some help folding shirts.  I gladly offered my help and after talking to him for a while, out of nowhere, the inner bitch asked, “Are you gay?”

It seemed to cause instant silence.  He looked at me like…WHAT?  After a minute, we both laughed our ass off and that was the beginning of the Garry/Wes duo.  When we worked together, it was as if we were connected.  We knew what the other was saying at any time.  Christmas time in the mall could not have been more enjoyable if it hadn’t been for him.  The POS system went down and was out for Black Friday and on into December.  We had to keep each other sane as we did all the calculations by hand and with small calculators.  The beer flowed when we returned home each night!

Not only were we coworkers, we were also roommates.  Garry decided to move into the apartment with us in Duluth.  It was an awesome time and we were able to meet some wonderful people that continue to be great friends.  One Halloween, we decided to dress in drag.  We wanted to do it correctly and all out.  It seemed like we were in Wal-Mart late at night for days on end.  One night, we needed some help with sizing.  We had already picked out our shoes and had chosen our costumes at the thrift store.  We went to the local Wal-Mart location, around midnight, and went to the ladies department.  There was a nice lady working in the area and we caught her attention.  She walked over and in my nicest voice, I said, “Yes, we need some help from a lady.  My friend and I will be dressing in drag for Halloween and we need to know….if we had boobs and they were proportional, what size would you say we were?”  Obviously, this wasn’t a weird question for her as she looked at us and said I was a C and that he was more of a D.  She was right and to show our appreciation, on Halloween night, we walked our asses right up into Wal-Mart and allowed her, and everyone else in the store, to check out our look.  She loved it and so did everyone that stopped us to ask where we had bought everything.

We did the drag thing a few times out of sheer craziness.  Once, it was because it was requested from his partner, Arnold.  It was his 21st birthday party and he wanted a drag party to beat all drag parties.  Many of the guys from the bar in Tucker decided to join us and we all had such a crazy fun time.

I could sit here and type for days to tell you the good times we’ve had.  Honestly, they are too numerous for words.  A book could be written on what “fun” meant to us.  In its simplest form, “fun” was when we could let go of all our cares and concerns and relinquish our bodies and minds to whatever came our way.  When you got us together and alcohol was in the mix, heaven be with anyone within reach.  We were dancing and laughing and just acting like a bunch of fools.  The next day, we were usually looking at each other with that quizzical look of…why the hell did we do that last night?

Many people out there have that friend.  You know, someone you can act, look, and talk crazy with.  For the most part, the rules are off the table.  I have a few friends I can do that with, but one sticks out above er’body else.

(Enters the other side of me. If you don’t understand this, I’m sorry. He know who it’s fo’!)

Dis boy and me have been friends fo’ a long time now.  He from Mobile, Alabama which ain’t far from where I used to stay at.  We met up online befo’ he moved over her.  He is one of da sweetest most caring cold-hearted people I know.  He got my back and I got his.  Hell, we like twins!  His name is Romo and you can find him doin’ dat damn show of his called Podcubs with that white guy, Buhlou.  He some good lookin’!  So go’on now, git over der and see ‘em.

(Breeze blows hair up and ruffles clothes as GayCountryWes comes back to himself)

Oh dear!  That happens to me every now and then.  I might have been raised in the middle of the woods by a bunch of rednecks, but sometimes, my other side comes out.  Both sides are equally smart and handsome with a tough of southern debonair!  So, for real, Romo and I have been friends for a couple of years now and even though we do not get to see each other half as much as I would like, he is still a great friend.  If you have listened to the podcasts, he was, of course, a past full-time host and is now on the show when George has pressing work matters to tend to.  There’s a chemistry between us that works out on the show and while we are in public.  We get looks!  I know, people don’t get it!

When you get a moment, click on the pic above and go look at the website for Podcubs.  There is some sexy man meat over there!  Also, look for them on iTunes and listen for their live show at www.pride48.com on Thursday evenings starting at 8:00 pm.

Before the meal was finished, I decided to get out the camera and take some pictures.  Introducing, Ms. Annie!  She is George’s Jack Russell and she is just the sweetest thing.  She is a little mischievous only because that what Jack Russells are known for.  We have one as well and he makes sure that you do not forget he is in the room.  Hell, he doesn’t let you forget he’s in the universe.  He’s that precious and so is she.  We see her here doing her “catwalk” through the kitchen.  See her sway and float as though she is walking on air.  She says, “That little redhead orphan girl has nothing on me.  I am The Annie!”  LOL!

The view from high above the earth we call Atlanta is amazing.  It is what I would call breathtaking.  Some people wouldn’t thing it so impressive, but hey…I come from MUCH less than this and to me, it is almost a new world.  I love the architecture of the city as it is here, there, and everywhere in the eyes of their architects.  We are a city of buildings that don’t really flow together but rather create a collage of differentness.  That’s Atlanta as a whole.  If we were all similar, it wouldn’t be the same city and would probably be boring.  We can’t have that now, can we?  We have a reputation as a…no…the major Southern city.  I think we do a pretty good job with that.  In this picture, we are looking northward along the historic Peachtree Street.  If you can find your way to this street while in the city, you aren’t lost.  Go one way and you’re in Downtown.  Turn around and go the other way and you’re in Midtown and then further up, you are headed out of the city and into the northern suburbs.  It is the major thoroughfare.

While soaking in the pseudo fresh air, I turned the camera on Romo and said, “Smile, biotch!”  He mustered a smile and I mustered a click of the camera.  Of course, after the picture was taken, he had to approve it for further viewing of anyone.  You can’t see it, but behind Romo in the distance is Stone Mountain.  It’s an awesome park to visit, made up of many different things.  The idea of the park is to commemorate the southern states and the Confederacy.  If you want more information about Stone Mountain Park, visit their website at http://www.stonemountainpark.com/default.aspx.

Onto our dinner, shall we?!  George now has a kitchen and can broaden his talents of cooking.  He has been watching so much Food Network that he should be able to run La’ George from his place.  Above, we see that he has arranged us along the bar, having us sit on his fancy new bar stools.  Presented to us was lemon marinated chicken breast, roasted potatoes, and green beans, accompanied with a Caesar salad on simple yet elegant white dinnerware on a brown placemat.  The sophistication was running rampant and was nothing less than what we expected of our George.

After dinner, Ms. Annie needed to go for a walk.  Since we arrived, I had an unusual craving for Starbucks.  My mind was thinking green tea frap…no whip.  It had my stomach roaring with the possible goodness and I couldn’t take it anymore.  While the other half and George took Ms. Annie on her stroll, Romo and I headed across Peachtree St. to the Starbucks where I found my darling drink, green with all its goodness, along with Romo’s mocha lite frap.  We were in heaven, drinking our sweetness as we circled the block to walk off dinner.  It wasn’t a bad evening heat wise, making our trip perspiration free…for the most part!

After retiring back to La Casa de George, we started watching Storage Wars and since it was a marathon, we ended up watching quite a few episodes.  I stood up to stretch for a bit and walked outside.  I couldn’t help but take a picture of the night lights in the city.  They look so wonderful, even though with that many lights, you can’t see any stars.  We had some dessert while watching TV and then we said our goodbyes.  We had a great time together and loved the company and conversation with loved ones.  We made our way back to the north and relaxed for the evening.  We can’t wait for the next opportunity to get together.

Gay Comic Geek…you keep making your wonderful vids! Oh please keep making them!

After I went to the REI presentation of the Benton MacKaye Trail (yes, this one actually happened), I came back home and we left for Stone Mountain.  If you haven’t a clue as to what I am talking about, hop on the Google and type in Stone Mountain, GA.  Stone Mountain is the largest exposed granite dome in the world.  It stretches underground into Tennessee and the Carolinas and also into Alabama.  The park is kind of a memorial to the old South in the way of its hospitality and its beauty.  There are many things at the park that I love, including the Antebellum mansion, the railroad, the grist mill, and most importantly, the carving.  The main road around the mountain is rightly known as Robert E. Lee Blvd.  Everything about this place is family friendly and definitely something people here in the area look at as a wonderful asset.  The laser show is spectacular and takes place on the carving side of the mountain.  On the opposite side, there is a trail that leads from the bottom to the top of this gigantic mound.  The views of Atlanta from the top of Stone Mountain are amazing.  You honestly have to be there to get the true feeling of a breathtaking site.

Glad to be at the top!

We reached Stone Mountain around 4:30 pm and decided to climb to the top instead of taking the Skylift.  It gives you an incredible workout.  Since I am going to be doing a strenuous hike in the near future, I decided to go up with my loaded backpack.  Now that it’s all over, I am very happy I did.  I hurt today, but I can now say that with a full pack, I should be able to handle the mountains of North Georgia fairly well.

When we got to the top, we took a few pictures of Atlanta and other crazy things.  You can go into the building on the top and there are posters and stuff that describe life that exists on the top, including tiny shrimp that survive in the water puddles after rain storms.  The puddles are found in craters left from lightening strikes over the centuries.  There are a few small pines that have survived up there over the years.  I couldn’t find it yesterday, but there is a USGS marker located on the top for an elevation comparison.  The mountain is 825 feet tall and covers 583 acres. The top of the mountain is 1,683 feet above sea level.  It’s an amazing sight to behold and bring your hiking boots!

We reached the bottom and went to the car to get the cooler.  We were not aware they were doing work on the green, so when we reached the base of the mountain, the crowd was amazingly large.  We are used to sitting closer to the main building.  This time, however, were were right beside the pond at the base.  Thank God they did not do the “Great Balls of Fire” show.  I believe our hair would have been burned right off our heads.  There are effects that take place throughout the laser show like fireworks, various colored lasers, and blasts of fire.  The fireworks were definitely louder this time around.  We ate a few sandwiches and some fruit and had a fantastic time watching the show.  There were some new additions and some old time classics.  There is a classic segment containing various geometric shapes in sync with the Ray Lynch song “Deep Breakfast.”  The other, of course, would be the segments devoted to Georgia and the songs it is mentioned in and sang by artists from our state, such as Sugarland, Ray Charles, REM, The B52s, and Alan Jackson.

The gang left us around 10:30 pm heading back to that wonderful state of Alabama.  We were worn out from the day and I fell asleep on the couch.  We slept this morning till around 11 am and when my eyes opened, they immediately wanted to close again.  I felt every muscle in my body!  It’s a great feeling, but one that you have to experience between long breaks!  If you want to experience a feeling of the South and see some lovely surroundings, make a plan to come visit Stone Mountain Park located in Stone Mountain, GA.

I can’t wait till we see SW again.  He is truly an amazing guy that the other half has known for years.  I was able to SW after we met.  He isn’t bad on the eyes either, my friends!  He’s a looker! LMAO!  But, looks don’t mean much when there isn’t a great mind to go along with it.  He’s got it all.

On the way, we stopped to eat at a new place to us called The Brick Store Pub in Decatur, GA.  It was rather different from what we are used to…that being Italian McDonalds (Olive Garden), Outback, Applebees, or the other few restaurants in the general area of the Mall of Georgia.  This new place was in a small row of shops in an older building.  The wall of the restaurant was made of red bricks and since Atlanta is really cold right now, those bricks were freezing.  The door to the place was made of wood with an odd large wood door handle.  The bottom of the door allowed light to come underneath it and freezing air.  The atmosphere of the pub was cool.  There was a large bar in the back with a great muscle bear bartending.  There was an upstairs area over the bar where, I guess, you could go if you wanted to get away from everyone and be closer to the heat vents.  The food tasted great.  Travis had the chicken fingers (original) and I had the Pirogi Primavera. You can check out the place at http://www.brickstorepub.com/home/.

We then visited Don and caught up on things.  We talked about people we went to UWA with and how we were getting reunited on Facebook.  Don was a photographer years ago before his eye sight began to go bad.  He has a ton of equipment and wants to get back into taking pictures.  The only problem is that his eye sight requires him to have a magnifying glass to see the digital screen on the camera.  We think we can get him a tool for it.  We will have to see what we can do.

After leaving Don’s house, we met our longtime friend George at Roxx in Atlanta on Cheshire Bridge Road.  Look them up online for directions because they do not have a website.  We had never been to that restaurant either.  It somewhat reminds me of another place in Atlanta called Joe’s on Juniper.  They have a good variety of wines and beers and the entrees are good too.  I settled for a large salad since it had not been that long since eating.  We talked to George for a while over good food.  We had not seen him in person in a few years but had somehow kept up online.  While at the table, a friend we had made while playing Texas Hold’em at a local bar walked by and we got a great hug and Hello!  We finished eating and talking to George for a while longer.  As much as we didn’t want to, we put on our jackets and hats and went outside into the freezing night air.  We hugged George good-bye and hopped in the car, starting on our journey back to our home north of the city.

It’s great to get out sometimes and go visit those that mean a lot in your life.  Even though you may not see them often, true friends hold a part in everyone’s life and an important one at that.  I plan on making these more important than they already were, even if it means letting some other things go to do it.