A love story: Another one bites the dust

A couple of years back, I wrote about my buddy Keith getting married and mentioned he was essentially the last of my college buddies to get married.

I left out my oldest and closest bunch of friends — I lovingly call them the “Rednecks” — because they’re my buddies from my hometown and I never thought they’d ever get married.

They are men’s men. They cut logs, swill beer, shoot firearms, tan meat, farm and work manly jobs. How I fit in with them, I’ll never figure out. But through elementary, middle and high school, our group was inseparable. We still stay in contact and there’s always a big cookout or bonfire whenever I make my bi-annual trip home.

So a few years ago, when my buddy Rich told me at our favorite hometown haunt that he had a story to tell I figured it was another long, continued story of debauchery.

Not that Rich was that wild, he’s just the guy with the most exciting life out of those left back home.

I’ve known Rich since we were in preschool and four years old. My mom loves to tell the story about Rich, wearing his Incredible Hulk t-shirt, and I sitting quietly eating cereal on the first day of class. Looking back on it, I find it hard to believe that Rich and I were ever quiet, but we were four.

Over the years we bonded and we were always at each other’s sides. Our adventures became legendary, at least in our own minds, as we patrolled the back roads looking for fun and mischief and usually found it, not always in that order.

So as we sat, enjoying a cold one and listening to Rich’s tale a few years ago, I never thought we’d get to the point we are this upcoming weekend — Rich is getting married.

His story started at one point, and vintage Rich, continued for an hour and a half and was equally parts sad, confusing and heartwarming.

The bottom line and Reader’s Digest version was that Rich had reconnected with an old friend of ours I hadn’t seen in close to 10 years.

All through our middle school and high school years, Rich pined after Meredith. Almost every day, we’d go into her dad’s business where he’d buy a model car just so he could talk to her as we checked out.

After high school, the two hadn’t been in contact much, seeing each other every blue moon.

Fifteen years passed and life had gone on. Rich had become a pillar of the town’s community and Meredith was living in North Carolina.

Until the day Rich, a volunteer firefighter, received a lift-assistance call. It turned out Meredith’s father had passed and Rich, being the good soul he is, comforted the family.

At the viewing, the two saw each other and a romance was born.

I’m not one who normally believes in fate, I’ve always subscribed to the theory that we make our own destiny, but as Rich wrapped up his love story, I couldn’t help but wonder.

A few months later, Meredith commented this all would have been easier if I had just told Rich 15 years ago she liked him, but for the life of me, I don’t remember being told such a thing.

Apparently I’m good at keeping secrets.

But, love always finds a way to shine through. And I’m glad it did for my best friend and his soon-to-be wife.

Congrats Rich. Meredith, I hope you’re ready for Rich’s famous adventures. You’ve got a lifetime to experience them.