I attended the funeral of a friend today. His name was Jason Collins. He was a classmate, we graduated together in 1995. He worked at our hometown Walmart, and that was where I saw him most often. It’s a small town that we shared, around 4,000 people in the city limits, 11,000 in the county total, so I saw him on a frequent basis.
Jason was a good person. I don’t mean as in he was an okay or a nice person, I mean in the sense that he was a damn fine individual who was always genuinely glad to see friends and was helpful to anyone who needed anything.
He was also a little different.
Some people thought Jason was slow. A few called him an idiot savant. He was neither. He primarily focused on the things that interested him, and he studied and learned as much as he could about those interests, ranging from cars to firearms, and a lot in between. When I was 16 years old I was planning on building an engine taken from a wrecked car to put in another car that I had my eyes on. I mentioned this to him and he told me how much horsepower the stock engine made, the transmission that I would need, as well as other details about it. And he was right. The boy knew what he talked about. He didn’t bs you.
I once said that he only asked something of me one time, and that was for a ride home after he had enjoyed some bourbon. I was glad to give that ride, and I was very glad that he asked.
I have attended many funerals for friends and family, but this one has struck me the most. I have stated before that he was a good person and friend. What I should have said was he was the best type of person, and he was the best type of friend. I regret not doing more with him, and I will miss him.
The following statement was made in the eulogy by his brother-in-law:
I expect to pass through this world but once.
Any good, therefore, that I can do or any kindness I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now.
Let me not defer or neglect it for I shall not pass this way again.
– Stephen Grellet
I hope everyone has the opportunity to know someone like Jason Collins. It is also my desire that I can be at least half the person that he was.
smittylinc 