Good grief, where do I even start. The Royles lived maybe 5 or 6 houses around the corner from our house. I really didn't know any of the family as at a young age I was allowed to the end of the street and that was it. I think it was around 4th or 5th grade, maybe earlier, Kevin joined the Dogwood Posse at Arlington elementary school. I don't think Brian attended there. If he did I hadn't met him yet. I occassionally saw him whenever I'd go to grab Kevin, then we'd head up to Tom Dinardo's house in hopes of mom D cooking up her unbelievable Italian food. This was a weekly trek, as was walking to junior high or riding our bikes all over the place. Brian went off to college, as we all did. It was during breaks and in the summer Brian and I started to hang out more and more. Our social circles widened a bit, his friends became my friends and visa versa. Parties, wedding receptions, we were always hanging out. I knew when Friday or Saturday rolled around, Kevin, Brian and I were out on the town. The diner on I think Snow rd at all hours was always a good stopping place to eat before calling it a night. One of our favorite stories we always talked about was when Brian first moved to the east side. I had a big jacked up pick up truck that we used to move his stuff from Parma to Coventry. Well, we're rolling across the 480 bridge, when Brian's headboard decided to jump out of the back of the truck!!! I yank the truck to the shoulder, Brian goes running across the bridge about a quarter mile, and picks up his headboard. He got back to the truck, put it in and, unbelievably, it was not broken.
It had quite a few tire tracks on it, but he still used it as it was!!! During my first marriage, we talked from time to time, not often, but every few months we'd catch up for an hour on the phone. I stopped at his house a few times, Brian was always so proud to show me what room he was busy remodeling. His car was always clean and waxed, yard immaculate, that's just the way he was. Jump ahead to 4 years ago, when I joined the ranks of semi truck drivers. It's a long lonely job, but, Brian and I became closer than we'd ever been. We spoke at least once a week, one day might be 10 minutes, the next might be 3 hours. He told me what pool he swam at that week, what wood working projects he had going on, who he'd seen or talked to since the last time we spoke, who he went golfing with, investments, his gutters, he was very proud of his wood burning stove he put in. It sounded like it made the whole house a sauna in the winter!! I spoke to him maybe 2 or so weeks ago, so like Marek, I was stunned and heartbroken. One of my very best friends, left waaaaay to early. I can hear his voice, all day long, talking about some conspiracy of the week or any of our other silly conversations. Brian my brother, you'll always be in my heart, my mind and my soul. My deepest heartfelt condolences to your family and your thousands of friends who knew and loved you. Your friend, Kenny Bucholz
