Lawrence L. Cook Jr.

Here lies my buddy, Larry. He hated his real name, Lawrence, it always felt too official he’d say. It’s funny looking down at the place where he now rests…his headstone is so neat and clean cut, so unlike how Larry was in person. Man, I remember so many times when I would have to bang on his front door and force him to open up just to make sure he was doing okay. I would find him lying on that grungy old orange couch, poker chips strewn around and half empty bottles lying on the ground around him. I’d try to lift him up, get him past his drunken morning, but he’d just look me in my eyes and laugh…laugh and shake his head and just grumble to himself how there’s no need to fix things. But I’d manage, after about an hour, to get him off that god-awful couch and shove his ass in the shower. I could never just leave him there feeling sorry for himself. As much as he seemed to go downhill all the time, I know there was that fun loving soul still in there and that’s what I would try to bring back out in him every time.

It’s funny now to think back with all my times with Larry and that be the first thing to come to my mind. It’s not like I chose to remember those times first…it’s just who he became towards the end. He’s been my buddy, my friend for over 30 years. It’s so strange now to know he is gone. Here I am, 76 years old standing in the freezing cold starring down at what his life is now. Larry would be 70 years old now. That seems old, but he never felt his age. I was 6 years older than him and I always felt like he kind of looked up to me. I felt like his big brother and he was my kid brother; best of buds. He was always young at heart.

I have to both laugh and sigh at what remains left of Larry, what words have chosen his life: “Ma loves Pa- Pa loves women. Ma caught Pa, with 2 in swimmin. Here lies Pa…” Shoot, he’d say this line all the time. Ever since his first wife Debbie divorced him he’d never been the same. He developed a love for different women and whiskey kind of overtook him. But, he still held a smile through most of it, joked about it all for the most part. Had kids with 3 different women, but man did he love all 5 of his children. Danny boy was his oldest and Larry sure did love him dearly. I think that’s what kept him going so long. I have to say, Danny kept us both going…helped me to keep going to Larry’s all those times and make him get his shit together again and again.

So here I stand with the chilled wind hitting my back, remembering who Larry turned out to be after all these years. He had some rough times throughout the years, but he sure was such a loving, fun, great guy. Great friend and father, too. The man loved his children and poker…the two things that made his eyes light up every single time. I sure do miss him. My buddy, my pal. Even though the wind blows today, I get out my five playing cards, a perfect straight flush in hearts…Here you go buddy, the best of the best for you…