Happy 65th birthday (February 25, 2025) to my dear friend Bryan, who has always been a year and a day older than me.
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 65 years old today; I turn 64 years old tomorrow (February 26, 2025).
We have literally known each other for 64 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.
The last time I was with Bryan was for several hours when I was on a business trip in Las Vegas for a few days in March 2016.
On March 24, 2016, 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, enjoying dinner in a restaurant and watching all of the crazies doing their crazy stuff.
At that time, we hadn't been together in about 19 years, since 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 dinner, we returned to my hotel around midnight. We played the slot machines there for about an hour. Bryan then grabbed a cup of coffee (to go); I handed him a birthday card; and then he drove home. 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 on March 24, 2016. (It's strange that the lighting is different in these photos.)
February 25, 2025, at home
Aileen Santos
No comments:
Post a Comment