My friend, Lance

When I arrived at work this morning, I opened up my email to check for important messages. I opened one email that was broadcast to the whole department and it indicated that my friend and colleague, Lance, had died. The injuries that he sustained when he got into an accident last week while riding his scooter were so graved that his doctors were not able to save him.

I felt numbed while I was trying to let the bad news sink in me. It seemed surreal that my very good friend Lance is now gone. Lance seemed to always be around and I felt he will be around forever. I spoke to him last Tuesday morning at 8am. Late in the afternoon that same day, Lance boarded his scooter and took his usual route heading home. I don’t know yet the exact story but what I heard was a truck cut in front of Lance and he either hit the truck or was hit by the truck. He broke his arm(s) and also had severe chest injuries.

The memories of my conversations with Lance seemed like it just happened a minute ago. I can still hear his voice in the hallway whenever he comes to deliver us the supplies that we ordered. But this time, it is just a noise of the past that will never come back. I will miss our conversations on vintage Volkswagens, jet-ski engines, retirement life in the desert, travel and the life styles of the older generation.

There are only a few people I know who are kind, fair and honorable. One of them is Lance. I always treasure the friendships that I have with these few fine individuals. It greatly saddens me whenever one of them leaves or dies.

Though I want to raise the question to my Creator as to why Lance had to die so soon, but I had to hold myself back because it is not my place to question the decisions of the Almighty. I need to just be grateful for the time I was allowed to have Lance as one of my friends.

This Saturday, I will drive to the church were Lance’s body lay in wake to give my last respects to my good friend. I mourn my friend’s departure but I will also celebrate his life.

Goodbye, buddy