Tribute

Yesterday, I learned that my friend and former boss Robert McCurry was killed in a car accident on Thursday while leaving his apartment to attend college classes. His memorial service was today, but I was unable to make it thanks to the eight hour drive between me and the Houston area.

I couldn't even think about going through the day without acknowledging him in some way, so I decided just to write some things that I remembered.

-Robert gave me my first job and was a unique boss. He valued my opinion in Gamestop goings-on and seemed to appreciate my blunt honesty. He never made me do work that was uncomfortable for me, like excessive dealing with customers, and instead let me do the work I was good at and enjoyed. He would never curse in front of me or the other female employees because he considered it rude. He treated us with respect that most people don't even consider.

-I picked up some strange food habits from him that I still can't break. To this day, I can't eat an untoasted sandwich and I love Little Caesar's pepperoni and jalapeno pizza with buffalo sauce mixed with the marinara.

-I remember once while I was training a new employee, someone sneaked around behind the register and snagged some merchandise while my back was turned. Robert chased him down and asked him if he'd stolen anything from us (his pants were obviously full of something) to which the guy replied that it was "just" his weed. It wasn't "just" weed, he was arrested for theft AND possession, and I still laugh while picturing the look on Robert's face when the guy told him it was marijuana.

-He introduced me to the only two American bands that I still enjoy -- Breaking Benjamin and Evans Blue/Parabelle.

-He texted me randomly about six months after I'd quit just to say "OMG I can't stop hiccuping. Seriously, I've had the hiccups for two days." At first, I was really confused, but it was so funny.

-When someone was hitting on me at work and making me angry, he told them I was jail bait (even though I was 18) to get them to leave me alone.

-He's responsible for my manga addiction. He'd let me take home leftover Shonen Jump magazines every month when the new ones came in, which made me fall in love with Bleach.

I guess I could go on and on, but I feel satisfied now. Today, I'm going to go order a Robert pizza from Caesar's and listen to some K-Mat Evans Blue. Please say a prayer for the comfort of his family.