I was absolutely floored tonight by a text message from Dan Marsh informing me, by way of his brother Joe, that my friend Justin Jones is not expected to make it through the night.
Justin has been fighting brain tumors for more than a year now. The last time I saw him was at my Dad’s funeral visitation back in May. Justin wasn’t able to drive due to his medication so he’d gotten his parents to bring him up there. It spoke volumes to me. I mean, some of my oldest friends who lived only a few minutes away didn’t take the time to come to the visitation, and here was Justin, sick, who’d went to so much effort to be there. Wow.
We hadn’t gotten to see each other much in recent months because i’d been spending all of my free time in Alabama with Cassie. We made plans to maybe catch a movie a few days later, and of course with everything going on (and me just being me) I never called.
Now that may have been the last time I got to speak to him.
That thought makes me sick inside. Justin and I first became friends at Kossuth High School, where we would meet during break and discuss (of all things) Sailormoon and Gundam Wing. I helped spark what would become Justin’s lifelong love of anime and japanese culture. In recent years we both wound up working at EB Games together part time. Full time he worked for Wal-Mart overnight and I worked the morning shift at the Murphy USA station in the parking lot, so he got to where he’d stop by on his way home and we’d discuss Naruto and just life in general. In fact, when I first starting getting serious with Cassie Justin was the one I talked about everything with.
He was a great friend to me. And I am immensely, terribly sorry I wasn’t as good a friend back to him.
I wish I could be at the hospital with him, but I’m told he’s in Jackson, MS which is a good 5 hours from here.
We used to have long discussions on religion. I hope he’d finally found the peace with the Lord he was always seeking but couldn’t quite reconcile with his intellect.
I love you buddy.
I’m beyond blessed to have been able to call you my friend.
I already miss you.
-Jared
