Bill Bowman came to mind tonight…
Bill was a kid I met my junior year of high school; at Verdun, France. We actually lived at Chambley AFB, France, and commuted to Verdun – 29 miles away. Bill was a senior and dated Bonnie Camp.
I never knew why but we hit it off right away. Same sense of humor, same values, he had a girlfriend, and I had good values… and so forth. Bill was my first “drinking buddy.” He used to raid his dad’s liquor cabinet for the vodka. He then would dilute the bottle with water. I never acquired the taste of ‘hard liquor,’ but I enjoyed being around Bill, so I drank that shitty vodka.
I was only associated with Bill for that one year, yet we became very close. When I sobered up, in 1994, I attempted to locate him. I actually found his dad, Monte, and was told of Bill’s death, nine months earlier – suicide. Shit…
I don’t know why I thought of him tonight; I just did. I pray he is at peace – I miss him…