"Big Chance"

Saw in the gossip news this morning that your girl Jessica Biel is finally single. Thought about how I wish I could email you and let you know that now's your "big chance". Thought about how you would give me so much crap for reading celebrity gossip, but that you secretly appreciated me keeping you in the know. Thought about how sad I am that you missed that "big chance" among others.

You're never far from the minds of those who loved you. There are always things that make us think of you and smile. Wonder what you'd be doing if you were here.

I read a book recently called "The Art of Racing in the Rain". It's about a Formula 1 racer. Well, actually it's about his dog. The dog's name is Enzo. You always said you wanted a kitty of your own and that his name would be Enzo. (That is when you weren't calling my cat Mars by that name.) Between the racing references and the dog's name, that book had me thinking about you a lot.

You would always want to call Andrea and talk about racing. Occasionally you'd watch just so you could have an excuse to call her. Sometimes you'd call, sometimes you wouldn't but I thought it was a pretty charming thing to love your sister that way - to have some special little thing to share.

I wish you were here so we could just exchange an email every now and again. So I could know that you are well and you could ask how my family is. I just wish you could have had more great rides, more laughs, more successes and more stories of shenanigans. I wish you'd have had more delicious food, more love and maybe even a family. I just wish you would have had a fuller life, although I know you would say your life was full.

Cheers, Mario.