I drove to Giovanni’s along the parkway this morning anticipating a long-awaited round of golf but the door remained unanswered so I headed to the back. He was on the stairs smoking as his head rose slowly and somberly getting out, “he was shot and killed yesterday.” Shock felt unreal to me at first but as the day progressed, we all felt the heaviness. The round was dedicated to our 8-practice swing S.O.B and his ‘Hey Buddy.’ “He could light up a room. I don’t know many people that can do that,” Giovanni testified.
Yesterday at 1pm. At Chick-Filet in Summerfield, SC an ‘unspecified incident’ occurred with our friend and an off-duty cop resulting in the police officer discharging his weapon into our buddy, fatally. The video footage can be found here (https://youtube.com/shorts/rkB7fi8TOwA?feature=shared) but it was cut off by a vehicle before shots were fired. The footage, in my opinion and my uncle’s says the officer is the instigator as the victim backs away and a vehicle blocks the rest. The local news reports that Main St. is one of the busiest traveled in Summerville and I’ll presume more evidence will surface because this doesn’t add up.
The fallen was an aloof blonde with a masculine twist, he’s not one to start a fight in the time I’ve known him in NC. He was a lady’s man, a lover. He had moved to SC for a new job and was getting settled from what I understand. The question in my head, what do you get in a fight for on a Wednesday at the Chick-Filet during lunch? A parking spot. You cut in line. You hollered at another’s lady. You got the last milkshake before the machine broke? You took a funny comment for disrespect. Whatever started it is a pandemic greater than Covid.
A quiet softened and sad officer spoke with the reporters issuing the facts at the time; that the officer had been dragged by the victims car but the hospital cleared him. The body had been removed, an autopsy was scheduled for tomorrow and that traffic should be resuming. With all the people present at lunch, on one of the busiest thoroughfares, Chick-Filet cameras, in broad daylight; I believe the evidence will show the deceased trying to leave an untenable situation, unarmed.
I’m all for 2nd amendment rights but there shouldn’t be a reason to leave your home armed. When I got a conceal permit the instructor asked, “Steve, you’re going to carry regularly, right?” “Why, so I can use it,” I responded. My name ain’t Han nor do I want to live in Baghdad but I do enjoy shooting. I was the only male in the class, the others had been assaulted. The fear in America has led to anger adding gun violence and senseless deaths. School shooting drills and locked doors still didn’t save the souls of Uvalde, Tx. Or the nameless represented by George Floyd.
Driving to Oak Hollow golf course we told stories of a human being that had touched us. The man will be in my memory as always because he taught me how to grip the golf club. “Stu, put your thumb and index finger around the grip and lift it comfortably; now put the rest on easy.” We had a great night watching wrestling clips, finding a common interest filled with laughs and monologue last time he visited. All in the car admitted we had felt drained and sad yesterday as Charles said, “You know I believe as science is proving, we are all connected.”
But the separation felt by the human race can be exemplified by the ‘faces of death’ videos that are streamed into our pockets to hand, eye, mind, and resulting in a softening of emotion as we click the next becoming desensitized to a world that is crying loudly. Death shouldn’t be feared for one of my first thoughts was, ‘he was awakened from the dream’ but when different perspectives present themselves one hurts to see a light extinguished when it had so much value. Did neither of them see each other?
I’ll send my love to his parents and do my best to empathize with what can only be described as an injustice. Watching the motivational speaker Les Brown yesterday he said,
“What is Life?
Life is like an onion, you have to peel it one layer at time and sometimes you cry. Life is a challenge, meet it. Life is a gift, accept it. Life is adventure, dare it. Life is a sorrow, overcome it. Life is a tragedy, face it. Life is a duty, perform it. Life is a game, play it. Life is a mystery, unfold it. Life is a song, sing it. Life is opportunity, take it. Life is a journey, complete it. Life is a promise, fulfill it. Life is a beauty, praise it. Life is a struggle, fight it. Life is a goal, achieve it. Life is a puzzle, solve it.”
I believe my ‘Hey Buddy’ demonstrated life in a joyful manner and his light always brightened mine even after 8-practice swings. Life is practice, improve on it.
