My Best Friend was a Fish

Work. Work. Work. Work. Work. Work. That's what you've been missing out on in my life lately. I did get to go to the Arkansas Derby a few weekends back and came out about $10 ahead! That's been about the highlight of my life the last couple of weeks. This week has been pretty hectic. I started out in Oklahoma City, and drove to our Fort Worth location on Wednesday; which is where I am now. I am staying in Dallas through the weekend because I have a bachelor party for one of my oldest friends, Casey Fisher.

One of my oldest friends? He IS my oldest friend. Casey "Fish" Fisher and I grew up together. I'm not talking about going to the same school and living in the same town. I'm saying that we had pretty much the same parenting, same childhood, same religious teachings, same battle wounds, and same punishments (mostly Charlotte making us go pick out and clean a switch off of the tree in his back yard). Without question, he is my childhood best friend; my oldest friend.

We went to the same high/middle/elementary school. Before that, we were having sleep overs (some not so successful because we would end up fighting over who won a game or the rules of the game, and we would have to call our parents to come get us in the middle of the night because no other conclusion would be made except for the fact that our friendship was over... until tomorrow). Before that, His mother babysat us when we were not old enough to go to school. Before that, we were playing with puzzles and jungle gyms at the nursery of the Gunter First Baptist church. Before that, we were laying in cribs right next to each other in the same nursery.

I don't want to say that Fish and I grew apart as we got older, but we did start hanging out less as we both established new friendships. I say we didn't grow apart because through our childhood and upbringing we established a bond that was closer to brotherhood than friendship. Fish and I could (and have in the past) go years without speaking to each other, but every time we do speak or see each other, it's genuine. There's no uncomfortableness often experienced by old friends; it's as if a day hadn't gone by since we last saw each other.

I'm looking forward to this weekend because this is one of those instances when Fish and I haven't seen each other in a long time. He has decided to take that giant leap into adulthood and get married. I couldn't be happier for him, and I cannot wait to hug him and tell him congratulations in person.