5.25.2005

So Pack up your Stuff Kid and Get in the Van


Casey
Originally uploaded by YourAuntBee.

I didn't like Casey when I first met him.

I think I may have mentioned I'm a bit of a mother hen, especially when it comes to Sarah. After our first year at KU, I went a whole summer without "protecting" her, so you'd think I would kind of ease up.

Jackson was the first of my pals to show up at the apartment the day everyone moved back. He said he had seen Sarah and she had some guy with her.

This brought a frown to my face. I don't know of any boy! What's she doing with some boy she hardly knows???

When they stopped by to visit, I was in high defense mode. It didn't help that this new boy, Casey, didn't talk at all. I didn't ask him any questions and he didn't offer up any other information. He sat there with his mouth shut.

I've learned in the years since that this is not typical Casey behavior.

Casey is now one of my nearest and dearest. I talk to him more than I do Sarah. He's like a woman with his phone!

He's got some hen skills himself. I always feel like if I, or even friends of mine he barely knows, were to get in trouble, Casey would be right there to help.

He makes friends faster than anyone I've ever known. We went to the karaoke bar, here in Wichita, once. We sat at the bar and Sarah and I began talking and watching karaoke. When we decided to pay some attention to Casey, we noticed he already had a new friend. Casey had made friends with some guy who didn't even speak English! He's that good!

We share the same weird humor, and I (usually) laugh at all his jokes. We also find embarrassing antics funny.

Once, when visiting in Lawrence, I made Casey take me to the bank there. I wanted to do some comparing.

On the way back, we took the backroads up through the Greek houses. There's never any parking near campus, and the roads get pretty narrow when there's cars parked on both sides.

In front of one Greek house, there was a Jeep Cherokee double parked, barely leaving enough room for anyone to get by. We realized someone was in the drivers' seat, so as Casey squeezed the van by, he began honking like a madman.

I began laughing like a madman while covering my face in semi-embarrassment. Casey got to the corner and said "Let's do it again!"

So around the block we went and our buddy was still stationed at his post. We honked and honked and laughed and laughed. At the corner, Casey said "Let's do it again!"

We round the last corner and I'm laughing in anticipation. Our buddy is ready for us and throws his head out the window and is yelling at me as we pass, honking.

At this point, I'm already unable to breathe. Yet, still we think it's a good idea to have another go around the block.

This time, we came around the corner and our buddy appeared to be gone! We were quite disappointed until I realized he had parked! "There he is!" Casey started honking, and we gave him the thumbs up.

He thought we were awesome, too, and told us we were number one by pointing his middle finger in the air.

We still laugh like madmen when we talk about this story. Really, it was hilarious. I promise.

Happy birthday, Casey!

No comments: