#rip ben

Because I could not stop for Death - He kindly stopped for me - The Carriage held but just Ourselves - And Immortality.

Rhett: "But it wasn't always just Rhett and Link."

Link: "When we were kids, it was Rhett, Link, and Ben, our third best friend."

Rhett: "He loved taking us on random adventures, like hiking out into the woods to chop down a tree."

Link: "But then Ben got sick and passed away."

Rhett: "Since then, we've continued on doing things as a pair."

Link: "In honor of his memory, we're back in North Carolina today, and maybe Ben is by our side."

Daddy Squirrel: "To celebrate the three year anniversary of us moving into this beautiful tree where we have absolutely nothing to worry about, I brought us all nuts."

Mommy Squirrel: "Oh, I hope they're huge."

Daddy Squirrel: "A pair of nuts for you. A pair of nuts for you."

Boy Squirrel: "My nuts smell funny."

Mommy Squirrel: "Well, honey, you need to wash your nuts."

Girl Squirrel: "What about squirrels with only one nut?"

Daddy Squirrel: "Oh, that's fine. But I prefer my nuts a pair at a time." 🐿️🌰

I actually met him before I had this job. About 6 years ago We sat next to each other on the same delayed flight going home from a trade show and got stuck in DFW for the night. So we shared an Uber to a hotel and went out for beers.

We talked and he made me laugh until tears were streaming down my face. We had one of those close calls in the elevator on the way to our rooms. I was still married at the time so I couldn’t go through with it. But I never forgot him.

When I started this job I was stoked his business was in my territory. I called on him about every six months. When I walked in this time I asked for him and they told me he passed away. At first I laughed and said “you’re joking right?” Then their faces told me they weren’t.

I asked what happened. He committed suicide was the answer. We really only had one meaningful interaction. Literally just a few hours together but this man made a huge impact on me. I never forgot him. I kept his business card in my car for years. I just threw it away last month when I bought my new car thinking I’d get a new one from him the next time I saw him.