Here Today, Gone Tomorrow

As I was walking around in my new job getting my parking pass, I was introduce to this Navy vet known as DJ. I told him my story. I was in the navy blah, blah, blah.

DJ: When were you in?
Me: 98-02.
DJ: What ship were you on?
Me: USS Theodore Roosevelt.
DJ: Did you know Burdios?
Me: He was my boss! How do you know him.
DJ: He was a friend of mine.
Me: How's he doing?
DJ: Oh you didn't know? He passed away.

That pretty much killed my day. At first I didn't want to believe him, but he brought me to his cubicle and showed me his obituary. Cesar Burdios died months after I left the navy in 2002. Some of my memories of him too place in France. We hung out, played a game of basketball. I was this younger energetic guy going against this old guy in his late 30's. I figured that I had the edge, but he ended up outplaying me. In the process he had some choice words for underestimating him. Afterwards, we went out and got wasted. He was a genuine guy. He may have been my boss, but he was my friend too. His death also made me question my mortality. A guy who basically looked like a health nut all of the sudden drops dead? It's something I never want to think of, but if it happened to him, it could happen to anybody. Life really is that short. It could end just like that. He's been dead for almost six years now and I just come around to find out. It's just surreal for me right now.