11.01.2012

Misha died


This kid died.

I knew this kid, Misha.  Skateboard baby when we were all older and he always acted so tough.  He and his tiny friends used to ask me on dates, even though I was in high school and they were only up to my waist.  Tiny baby Misha, who grew up drunk.  Used to sit in his front yard and get loud on the internet, holding a bottle of cheap vodka and a big knife.  Had a fucking concrete skate park in his back yard.  Home schooled.  Different.  Mom was a Buddhist.  Had a brother.  We made out in a bar bathroom.  My earring was never recovered (real diamonds too).  He tasted like oreos.  But that was a long time ago.  

About a year ago, he told me over an internet chat that he was going to kill himself.  I spent several hours of my work day talking with him, trying desperately to give him some advice.  The next day he checked himself into rehab.  He was alone.  His father was dead.  He lost his house.  

A couple of months ago, right around my birthday I think, he told me he was living in Kenzington with some dude and had over-dosed a few times.  He said he wasn't addicted, he just didn't know how to do it right.  He asked me to leave work to drink vodka with him.  I didn't.  

Last week Misha told me he was doing great.  He moved to South Philly, to live with a friend from AA.  He got a new job at a fancy restaurant.  He had 60 days clean.  I told him I was proud of him.  I told him about my friend's yoga studio, a block from his new apartment, and he said he would go.  

Yesterday I got a call.  They found Misha in a hotel room on Sunday or Monday, he is dead.  

I will miss talking to him.  I will miss his rhymes, his off-color humor, the funny faces he made in pictures.  Even though I haven't seen him in person for a very long time, I will miss Misha.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

it so sad.. i knew misha too and hung out alot at his house in my younger days. thank you for writing this, its funny because even though i havent seen him in probably 3 or 4 years- i often thought of him and how he was doing.
He is at peace now.

zeggy said...

When I was young I would go to skate in Mishas yard with him and his brother. Nice kids, family was different but lots of love in the house. Everybody knew them in neighboring towns because of the legendary backyard skatepark. This kid was so creative and smart, he seemed like an old soul trapped in a boys body and I could see that even i my teen years. This is a sad loss. RIP Misha--Shane

potter said...

Who wrote this? This is Matty E.