Part One- Resurrection

In 2009, the Kingdom of Kevin was in full swing. Working a job where I was able to accomplish all of my tasks in 3-5 hours of my eight hour day gave me plenty of time to pursue other things- like writing- in those days. (If anyone from my current place of business is reading this rest-assured not a moment is wasted there.)

The only pool trophy I will ever own.

Also in 2009, I was part of a championship pool team, Hit it Hard and Hope. Coming in first place at The Cue in Maplewood, we advanced to tournament play in Effingham, IL eventually falling in the third round of play. This was the highlight of my billiards "career" and was the farthest a team I've ever been a part of had ever made it.

It was on this team I met Kevin Ryan.

Kevin, was one of our better plays with a calm approach and a good eye for his plan around the table. A music lover and DJ, he had hair down to his back and had no wife or kids to speak of in those days. He was also very helpful to me at becoming a better pool player, however, it wasn't his mentoring that is especially relevant to the telling of this story. Read on...

As you may or may not know, I was robbed in the mid 2000's when living in a Manchester apartment. My roommate at the time was big into marijuana (and probably still is) and had a drug transaction with the wrong people. One day, I came home from work to an unlocked door- immediately triggering a mental alarm. I entered into a surreal scene that was my apartment but not at all the way I had left it in the morning.

TV- gone
XBOX- gone
GUITARS-gone
DVDS/GAMES-gone

Even my pillowcases were missing as that's what they used to carry the stolen games and movies, I assume. It was a pretty devastating event in my life.

I left that apartment the following day. I couldn't live in a place that had been broken into or with a person who would let people like that into our house anymore.

As it happens I told Kevin Ryan this story in 2009 and he immediately comes back with, "Well I have an extra guitar, you can borrow mine." At the time, we had really just met so I was blown away by the generosity but had the itch to play so I accepted his offer.

(Side note: I went on to most famously use this instrument in the preforming of a musical medley that the training class of August 2009 at Connexions Travel put on for the company.)

Rehearsing for the performance.

Fast forward four years. It's July 2013. The Kingdom of Kevin has been vacant since then and the pool team had gone their separate ways shortly after the championship run; life was changed. In fact I had pretty much fallen out of touch with Kevin completely despite still having his guitar.

Out of the blue, though, I get a Facebook message from him asking if we can meet up last week. He's got another person interested in the guitar that he wants to let borrow it. I've tried a few times over the years to contact him but this time we finally get together, last Monday at Pink Galleon in Creve Coeur.

Kevin is the same guy I knew but life has changed for him too. Now married, he's also has a child and another on the way. His hair, which was longer than my girlfriends, is now shorter than mine. It was really nice to see him and finally give him his guitar back. I can't believe I had it for four years and am so appreciative to him for letting me borrow it.

I left that night happy to have seen an old friend and glad that someone else will be able to get some use of the instrument that has basically just been sitting in my closet now for months.

As a reader, you were probably expecting the story to end here but you'd be wrong. In fact, it's only just beginning.