Our Friend Dylan

“As life gets longer.. awful feels softer.. well it feels pretty soft to me…and if it takes shit to make bliss.. well I feel pretty blissfully”- The View by Modest Mouse

Meet our friend Dylan. He isn’t just my friend.. he is now your friend too. A true friend.

I came to know Dylan on a spring break trip sophomore year of college in Key West. We all had a blast and did all kinds of exciting activities, but my favorite part of the week was getting to know Dylan on the screened in porch listening to Modest Mouse night after night. We were 2 emo music loving kids raised in the south surrounded by country, rap, and jam band music. Nothing wrong with those.. but they weren’t our preferences at the time. We had found a common denominator.  We had separate friend groups in Tuscaloosa. But stayed in contact.

Two years later we were seniors and our other friend @zpwiener and I convinced Dylan to live with us at 1525 on Paul Bryant Drive.

Dylan lives with me 5th year in another apartment. Oh and there’s another person. His name is Gus. Gus Bus. He’s a dog. He is Dylan’s dog. Our friend Jenkins was here for this one too. Also a good friend.

Gus was my pal. Gus was the first dog that entered my life since my dog passed away as a kid. Gus was abused. So was I. Gus was protective and vigilant. I believe Gus was hurt..and so was I. Dylan loved Gus more than anything in this world. Rip Gus Bus. 🐶 🚌

When I would have a bad day or when I was scared to sleep in my room. I would sleep on the couch and ask Dylan if Gus could sleep with me. I was able to sleep with a companion many nights…And it helped immensely.

Dylan moved to Raleigh and I moved to Winston-Salem, NC. A few hours apart. I was able to visit and sleep with Gus on the couch again in Dylan’s little studio apartment. I’m pretty sure Gus won Dog of the Month at his apartment complex. Didn’t surprise me one bit.

We took excursions to my family house in southwest NC. Dylan got to meet one of my favorite people. My Grandfather. My Grandfather likes Dylan. Neither of us knew many people in the places that we were living. We had each other though.

I moved soon after to Atlanta. Dylan eventually moved to Nashville where the rest of our friends lived. We were closer in distance. I watched Dylan prepare to make his Jump. It was either Asheville or Bozeman where his sister had already made a jump from the south out west. Sydney is her name. She has hosted me on a soul search trip a couple winters ago. She’s an artist and a badass. And she’s my sister too.

Dylan picked Bozeman and set off into the wilderness. It was bittersweet to see him go. I wanted him to go out west though. I told him I’ll see him out there one day. Zpwiener and I started calling him Bear Hunter back in college whenever he would let his beard grow out… and now.. he is trail running his ass off amongst the grizzlies in Montana. Hey bear.

Dylan was far away. But he never gave up on me. I would call him in traffic in Atlanta.. “bear hunter! What are you doing today?”

He would say “bout to get off work and go skiing” I’m like.. ok that’s cool. “I’m about to get off work and go hiking and camping with friends” he says.

Okay that’s amazing. I’m depressed out of my mind in a concrete jungle in standstill traffic on a Sunday afternoon dreading waking up the next day and starting another week.

I took a little jump to NZ. Come back.. and I’m planning to move to Texas and start over. I look at pictures in my phone of NZ and it parts of the South Island looks like out west. My favorite place. The mountain west. Fuck it. Call Dylan.. screw Texas I’m headed your way in 10 days. I don’t know what I’m gonna do or how I’m gonna do it but I’m on my way. I wonder if he thought I was forreal. I think at this point of knowing me.. he could tell it was actually going to happen.

Here I am. In a different state than Dylan. Breathing the same mountain air as Dylan. A few hours apart again. Just like old times.

Dylan just texted me as I’ve left Bozeman and headed back to work in Jackson. Im in traffic in Yellowstone watching a man fly fish in the middle of a river. And shit this is why I’m posting this. Dylan’s text is encouraging and at the end he says that he loves me.

And that is what he has always done. See, I have a lot of shit that I deal with daily…And sometimes there aren’t words to help someone like me. But Dylan offers a listening ear and puts his arm around me telling me it’s all going to be okay. And he tells me he loves me. And that is the epitome of being a good friend…And that is why I want you to meet Dylan. Be more like Dylan. Tell your fucking friend that you love them. Ooo that’s intense. Pretty please tell them.. actually no…fucking tell your friends you love them. It’s a small thing to do but the end result can be life-changing.

Thank you Dylan. I love you too.

I’ve credited Dylan with saving my life years ago… and now I get to see my buddy again in the places that we love.

My jump out west is inspired by many things.

And I’ve been able to watch Dylan do it from a far.. and I credit Dylan for helping me get out into the woods again. And I couldn’t be living in a happier state of mind because of it.

We may be a few hours apart.. but we are looking at the same stars and breathing the same mountain air. And we are about to live a good fucking life. He already is. The only thing separating us is a wonderland of natural beauty and wildlife.

I continue to believe firmly in the famous quote “happiness only real when shared”-C.M. (ALEXANDER SUPERTRAMP)

I love you…

Your Friend,

-Z