"December 31, 1965, today we have non other than Chris Chambers- Chris come say hi." From what I could tell what was happening in the back was a New Years party. I immediately recognized my dad and I couldn't help but have a nostalgic feeling, seeing my dad back in his prime.
"I'm kinda busy-" he tried to say as nicely as he could, I could tell, while conversating with someone else. He was cut off by my mom who grabbed him anyway and faced the camera towards them.
"We are here, spending our last news years in Castle Rock, with a couple of our pals." My mom, who was obviously drunk, was saying as she tried to squish their faces together to fit in the camera.
"Gordie, come, it's almost time for the count down!" I laughed at my overly excited, drunk, teenage mom.
"Give me this thing" I laughed at her as she recorded us with the new video camera her father had gotten her for Christmas. She obviously couldn't take care of herself any longer if we stayed. I began fidgeting with it, not so sure how to turn it off, after the struggle I eventually quit.
"Come here, let's get you home." With that the camera shut off. I was teary eyed, watching every old memory there was of him.
I had a bittersweet feeling watching each old home video, or looking at old photos. It ripped my heart out to think that the next time I'd be seeing my father he'd be in a coffin, but seeing all the happy moments he'd seem to capture was enough to make me feel like he'd be there forever.
I had been currently looking for photos to use for his program. My mother was simply not strong enough yet to go and look through all the times they had had together, knowing he wasn't coming back. I'd say I wasn't either, but it was hitting my mom harder, and I just wanted to do whatever I could to make it easier for her.
I found another old tape and decided I'd watch it.
"Hey Gordie, why don't you tell my kid a story?" I wasn't so sure how to tell him, but I knew it wouldn't be as big to him as it was to me. We'd been friends forever and he had been the best man at my wedding too, I knew he had to be the first person I told.
He looked back with a smile on his face.
"Your having a kid?" I just chuckled and nodded. Ten years ago, I would have never guess I'd be the one to fly back to Castle Rock to tell Gordie I'm having a kid.. I always thought I'd be the one stuck here.. well he wasn't stuck, just chose to wait a little while.
"That's great man." He smiled.
I couldn't exactly tell who my dads friend was, having never met him but I knew he was special. My dad always told me about Gordie, but I never got to meet him. I guess they just grew out of touch, but Gordie was very special to my dad.
He had always told me that had it never been for Gordie or my mom, that he'd still be in Castle Rock and possibly would have became a drunk.
My dad was far from that though, he had became a successful lawyer. He told me he always wanted to get people out of things they didn't mean to do, because he had been in their shoes before. I didn't quite understand what he meant by it, he never told me the story. But I believe it was just in my dads being that he had to make peace..
"That's Gordie.." my mom said as she leaned on the doorframe, her eyes tired and weary. It was obvious that she had been sad for days.
"How come I never met him?" I asked, confused because of how close they seemed in videos, I had even caught a glimpse of him on the New Years party video.
"You grow old, and out of touch with people I guess.. I know your dad would have loved to have visited him one more time.." she teared up and sat next to me, finally finding the strength to help me look through the dozens of memories they shared.
"Look at this one-" she managed to find the strength to smile as she looked at a picture of him. It seemed to have been before anyone was born because it seemed quite long ago. He didn't look ready but the quality of the photo looked very nice. He had a smoke and was sitting outside of the back of a car. "He got so mad at me for taking it," she paused and laughed "but I couldn't help but be so proud.. he became all the things he thought he couldn't be. That was his first car." A tear had finally slipped like I had suspected and soon I was crying too.
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