Just as hard as it was to understand 15 years ago, I'm still unsure. On this day, back in 1995, Dennis's best friend, Corey Meinhart was killed in a motorcycle accident. I remember seeing the story air on the news, and even after the mention of his name, I thought I could wake up and find that it was all just a terrible dream.
This was supposed to be a happy time in my life. I recently found out that I was pregnant and I was to be experiencing joy. How could it be, that a little over a week after losing my cousin, another loss would cause even more suffering?
I met Dennis in July of 1991. Shortly there after, I met his friend, Corey. I knew from the first time talking to him, that he and I would get along great and I could certainly see why Dennis was so proud to call him his friend. Corey was the life of the party, spoke his mind, had a great taste in music, and knew how to have fun.
Dennis and I would go to "Bouncing Billiards", in Palmerton with Trevor (then almost 2 years old) and we would shoot pool. It could be just us for a little while and a few straglers here and there and then, the place would start jumping and once Corey got there, it was then time for the fun to begin! Trevor, as young as he was, idolized Corey. He would later make up stories about what him and Corey would do together. One time, Trevor told us that he and Corey "partied in the pits". (A place that Trevor had never been, but he recalled Corey's story about it.)
Corey was, simply put, AMAZING at shooting pool. He could run the table all night. He, most definately, mastered the skill. He couldn't be beat. He was humble, and never really bragged or thought anything of it. That's just how he was.
A short while later, Dennis, Trevor, and I moved out of Palmerton and into our first apartment in Weissport. We really enjoyed Corey's visits, which surprised us, since he wasn't "tied down" like Dennis had just become. ;) We had the most fun while living there, especially when Corey and friends would visit. I still enjoyed the "parties", even though I didn't drink (one of us had to be responsible). I loved just sitting back and listening to all of the stories being told. I can still hear in my head the way Corey would say a certain profanity and how he annunciated it. He "owned" those two words.
What I remember most about living there was how we knew when Corey was on his way. We could hear his stereo long before he'd even get into Weissport. He would be "up" on the 4-lane (248) and we'd know he'd soon be there. Corey really liked his music, and he liked it loud. lol He had even showed us how he had to keep tightening things on his car and adjusting mirrors from all of the bass coming out of his subs.
There were a few occassions, too, that we'd go to Corey's house. I can remember being afraid to knock on the door. "Dinch", Corey's dad, was a HUGE man (prison guard!) and was very intimidating....on the outside. We'd learn just how cool of a dad Corey had later. :) Dennis is probably still wondering how he got away with breaking the windchime on the front porch. haha
Another fond memory that I have is the time that a group of us got together at Corey's and then we all got into our cars and Corey led the way to some festival that he'd known about. I'm sure we're all still guessing how he'd ever heard of it in the first place. To this day, I'm sure I'd never be able to find it again. It was in the middle of nowhere.....up on a hill...with nothing else around it. It was almost as if we were part of a story in a really weird book? It was really creepy, to me, so Trevor and I stayed in the car. Our cars were the only ones there.
Not long after that, Dennis and I had moved out of that apartment and to a 1/2 double house "over town", in Lehighton. Corey stopped by only once or twice and we didn't see him as much. As it turned out, he found himself "tied down" with a girl. (Long, funny story behind that one.) :) Had we known then, that in just a short time later, he'd be gone, maybe we would've made a point to go down to Palmerton more?
In the early morning hours of June 25, 1995, Corey was on his motorcycle, on his way into Palmerton. He was at the intersection of Forest Inn Road and Stoney Ridge Road when he was struck by a motorist, driving a small Toyota pickup truck. I don't know the entire story, but I pray that he didn't see it coming, nor did he suffer. At 22 years young, a precious life was taken.
I remember going to his funeral and still being unable to believe it. He didn't have a scratch on him and to me, he just couldn't be gone. Dennis didn't want to stay and I remember not wanting to leave. It was so hard for Dennis and he has a different take on these things than I do. I can totally understand.
On January 4th, I had my baby. A boy. We had given the name, "Corey" some thought, but even the nurse agreed that our baby did "look" like a "Bradley" (the other name we had in mind).
Years later, on July 3, 2001 to be exact, we found out that we were to become the parents of twins. I had hoped to have at least one girl, but later found that I was carrying two boys. On the day I found out, it was decided that our "Baby A" would be named Corey. It's kind of funny, the way God works. The "irony" of it all is that our Corey does look the part and we're not sure if the name has anything to do with it, but from the time "our" Corey picked up a pool stick, he is just amazing. Just the other day, Bradley was ashamed to admit that he had been beaten in a game of pool by an 8 year old.
If Corey were here today, I'm sure he'd still be the life of every party, the joker, the prankster, the everything anyone would want in a friend and more. Though I only knew him a few short years, a big part of my heart still aches and misses him dearly. I'm sure he's up there, in heaven, running the table and I can't wait until the day that he sinks that 8 ball and beats me at the game...again. If you should make it to heaven before I do, please do me a favor and ask Corey how to catch a unique rabbit.......U-nique up on it! ;) (That was one of his favorites!) :)
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