February 25, 2024, at home
As per personal tradition, I (living in Delray Beach, Florida) just called on the phone my dear friend Bryan (living in Las Vegas, Nevada) to wish each other happy birthdays. He turned 64 years old today (February 25, 2024); I turn 63 years old tomorrow.
We have literally known each other for 63 years. We were neighbors in Babylon, Long Island, New York, from the moment of my birth on February 26, 1961, until the summer of 1972, when my family moved several miles away to West Islip. Although we lived on different streets in Babylon, only a hedge separated our backyards.
On March 24, 2016, while I was on a business trip in Las Vegas, I had the fortune to visit with Bryan for several hours. We had a great time cruising the Vegas Strip in his truck, and walking up and down Fremont Street, watching all of the crazies doing their crazy stuff. At that time, we hadn't been together in about 19 years, when we embarked on a road trip together from Long Island to visit our childhood friend Maureen near Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
In Vegas that evening, after returning to my hotel around midnight, we played the slot machines there for about an hour. Bryan then grabbed a cup of coffee (to go) and drove home, and I returned to my room to rest my aching feet. While we only spent about five hours together that evening (8 p.m. to 1 a.m.), this was one of the most memorable and wonderful experiences of my life.
Here are two photos of Bryan (right) and me grabbing bites to eat at Mickey Finnz restaurant on Fremont Street.
Bryan Viola
No comments:
Post a Comment