People will use the term "life of the party" quite a bit, but really that was Anthony. Whenever I walked into a room, just like all of you, he would be so excited to see me. "HEEYYY Whats up??". In high school we had different paths, but Anthony was one of the few who could care less. I was a nerd, he still invited me out, I didnt date, he still asked me to dances. I was always speaking at some debate tournament or DECA tournament and Anthony was always a supportive person. I remember over the years he would come to me for advice. "Tell me how to do this business idea, I trust your opinion". Looking over the memories I have with Anthony there really were so many, yet not enough, not enough.
I had just moved back to AZ last month and the first person I wrote was Anthony. Its weird how things play out, but I had Anthony in my house in July of 07 days after becoming a mom for the first time, to two toddlers. He rushed my job so the kids could have grass to play in. He would come inside to chat after dark and just stay to eat fascinated about "foster care" and our two new babies, He would talk to my husband about business. With Anthony if he was with you, no one else was around, he could focus in and make you feel amazing. I was shell shocked, instant mom of toddlers is a crazy scenario. He was transparent, he wasn't the guy who said "you have this its OK" he was the friend who was with you in the trenches. "Holy cow, Ok that kid just threw up, WOAH she just fell over" blowing smoke wasn't his deal. But he would be the first to help fix it, or compliment you when it was all better.
Anthony was coming over two weeks ago to see me and last minute cancelled. I had asked him to do our yard again, but as friends I was excited to see him again. His text was "Morgan I am so sorry but one of my jobs just grew and I would never want to disappoint you. Please use my friend instead I have told him about you. Im so sorry for flaking out on you really Im so sorry". That week I went out with another friend and we were retelling our high school days, our DECA trips. Our friend casually mentioned that I never dated in high school except Anthony to his fiance. I started to laugh audibly, Anthony for me was just a friend, we spent alot of time late in Ms.Frahms class, or grabbing food at Floridinos, hanging out with Jake, Eric, Phil, or Will. Traveling on field trips. "So He never ever tried to kiss you?"" Umm NO" I said like, that was my friend, like my brother. I never was a healthy person and Jake and Anthony use to give me piggy back rides around. You could never really stay mad at Anthony for anything he did because he never had an ill intention. If he hurt someones feelings unwarranted he was translucent and shame would just go right across his face. If people teased me he would jump in and say "Ok, Ok, we were kidding, right come on guys", he was the game changer. He could set the tone.
Anthony and I kept in touch over facebook and texts. It was an annual lunch or 3 hour long conversation out of nowhere. Going over my texts from him they read "I need your opinion on my business plan please call me now", or "I see that you had surgery you must call me tonight, I can come out there", or "I screwed up and said something that could upset you later on please call me, Im so sorry". He always had a sense of urgency. Through high school and even after he would show up and text me "Im outside". He was a deep thinker in his non "life of the party" moments. Maybe I was just on the other side of that life, I let him deep think. All I know is that no matter what whenever we saw eachother we just picked up from where we left off. His laugh was contagious, and moreover he cracked himself up. Many times I would find myself buckled in laughter because he found himself so funny, his hands on his knees trying to catch his breath. I'd stare at him and shake my head with a grin.
I laughed on the way home from dinner that night, "I dated Anthony Basilo I guess" I said to my husband. "Oh Yeah whens he coming over next", "not sure he got a big job"..... and he didnt want to disappoint me. He wouldn't want to disappoint anyone. Normally, prior to five kids I would have totally given Anthony a guilt trip and he would have showed up to meet me. Now in our 30's I let it go. Im sorry that I did. I know we would have talked for hours. And thats the crux right, thats the jab? We all have that feeling right now that we missed our chance. Ive never had a sudden loss of a friend and it feels like a rug pulled. No we weren't daily friends, we were lifelong friends. We were emergency friends, we were "Im in a ditch and need a sidekick friends". We will meet again, and if anything I know for sure, I know regardless of who is waiting for me in Heaven Anthony will be the happiest, loudest, most boisterous greeter of them all. Because, Anthony, you could never disappoint me. Your light was just too bright my friend to disappoint. I can say in the 33 years he had with us he had more laughter, sweetness, fun, and living than most of us can ever obtain, even at 100 years. He just did. He lived joyfully, and thats how I choose to see him forever.
