Like I Was Saying...
The story starts a few years ago -- though I’ve may already told a version of it, so I’m not so sure, but here we go.
Back when Marcos was in middle school he hung out with these two kids, Nick and Arturo.
They were both good kids that came from some rough backgrounds. Nick was, back then, this rail thin African-American kid that loved his big spongy Afro. Arturo was this short stocky Hispanic kid. I kind of thought of him as the Sancho Panza of the group. Now, Nick and Marcos played football in middle school and Arturo would kinda of tag along with them.
So one day, I decided to take them to UT’s Orange and White game, which is Texas’ football scrimmage game between their main squad and their practice squad. I wanted to show the kids that was another life out there: college and of course college girls.
Well for some reason, Marcos was upset that day. He didn’t want to go anywhere. Arturo and Nick got dropped by their parents and I said we might not go, because Marcos was upset and didn’t want to go.
Arturo and Nick were having none of it. They charged into Marcos’ room and after awhile, Marcos came out of his room seething, but Arturo and Nick were all smiles. Those boys were up for an adventure and didn’t want to miss out on it.
When the boys hopped in the car, Lucy was looking up some information about the event. And then she said this, “Oh, and there’s a Ludicrous concert later tonight and it’s free.”
And then I hear Marcos say, “Ludicrous is going to be there?”
Now, let me backtrack.
Earlier that week, my Tia Carmen had passed away, and her Rosary and Funeral Mass were going to be Monday of that week. Since I was going to recite the rosary at her visitation and wanted to take the Eucharist at her Mass I wanted to make a good confession before her funeral.
Thing is most churches have their confessions on Saturday and I had already promised to take the boys to this game.
So I found a Church nearby that had confessions early in the morning. So I got up early, went to confession, got my Absolution and I was good to go.
Then, I came home, and of course, later that Saturday, found my way to UT’s Orange and White game.
And the boys could careless about the game.
Oh, the liked the excitement of that days activities and I’m sure we’re looking at all the college girls on that nice August evening.
But boy did they want to go that concert. Their excitement was palpable.
I’d forgotten who Ludicrous was until he opened with snippets from the Bill O Riley show. O’l Bill was complaining about Ludicrous’ songs about killing cops, and after he came out and the boys went nuts.
Now, I’m standing at this concert, surround by this crowd of college kids, smoking weed, drinking beer, and just enjoying the living crap out Ludicrous rapping. Or is he hiphop? Hell, I don’t know.
And I remember thinking how I’d been to confession earlier that day and now I was smack dap in the middle of Ludicrous concert.
Well played, God. Well played.
I mentioned this story, because earlier this year, Marcos walked into our living room, visibly upset and told us that Arturo had been shot and killed at a nearby skatepark.
Both Lucy and I were in shock and heartbroken.
I mention this today, because I discovered an article in a nearby paper that said, it was Nick that had anciently shot his best friend while running away from an incident that had gone terribly bad.
I’m still beside myself and don’t know how to feel about it, all I know is that I’m heart broken for both those boys. I’m not going to lie, part of me wonders if there’s more I could’ve done for those boys. They and Marcos parted ways in high school and went down different paths.
Both boys had been dealt a rough hand in this life and for one that rough life will continue.
The only thing I can hold on too is this one memory of those two boys, along with Marcos, singing and smiling at that concert, enjoying the living hell out of themselves.