The Robert that I Knew

I met Robert in 1996, just out of college, green as could be and hoping to fit at my first job. I call him Robert because I didn't know Bubba, and frankly, I probably wouldn't have called him that even if he asked me to (...the New York in me) But he never did ask me to call him that because he too was trying to fit in at this new job. We worked in adjacent cubicles and soon stuck up a friendship. Being new to Orlando, it was great to have a someone like Robert. We had a lot on common. Fans of 80's rock bands, our wife's really liked each other and we were low on the totem pole but high on having fun at each other’s expense. Robert and I had so much fun along with others like Jeff Murphy and Mike Grogan pulling pranks and not doing much work. I still don't really know what my job was at that company! Over the next few years, I moved on from that job but stayed in close touch with Robert, making it a point to catch up weekly with our families, play video games and still have plenty of time to laugh about everything under the sun. You've seen it posted many times on Facebook...Robert had a smile that simply made everyone else smile with him. Even now, I imagine that smile and it makes me feel better.
Yet as time went on Robert carried a load that would buckle many a person’s knees. His company faltered, stress mounted and then life was flipped on its head when Debbie died. Robert had little time mourn for Debbie. Instead he had to carry on for his kids and be both Mom, Dad, sole financial supporter...simply be that guy that had no option but to make things better because no one was going to do that for him. He sold cars, did title work, started his own business and all the while, when the stress would be unbearable for most, Robert still managed to groom two wonderful, well mannered, amazingly well adjusted children.
A few weeks back, Robert, Jeff Murphy and I had dinner in Orlando. Just like always I absorbed the time spent together because few people had the ability to tell a story like Robert and make me feel like I had just done sit-ups because I laughed so hard. Later that night, I stopped by the house and spend a little time with Steph and Eric who hadn't seen me in over a year. So wonderful, so kind, so carefree his kids seemed. Robert was an amazing father. After all of the pain, adversity and change in their lives Robert delivered what should have been normalcy. Unfortunately there are some things that are out of our control. An invisible train in the tunnel. How I wish I could have been able to warn him at dinner that night. My last memory of Robert was hugging him goodbye in his driveway and agreeing that we needed to do this more often. What a wonderful friend he was to me and so many others and wonderful father he was to Stephanie and Eric. I'm so lucky to have had Robert in my life. I can't imagine I'll be seeing my dear friend off on Monday. We'll always have the road my friend. I love you and miss you terribly. Rich