Friend Dossier # 1- Brian Gooch

When I think back on some of the positive things about growing up in Fresno, several friends immediately come to mind. I'm amazed at how fast time passes and regret not keeping in touch with a guy who has been a family friend for many, many years. Good friends are hard to come by, and I'm thankful to have exchanged some funny memories with him in the last couple of days. That "conversation" sparked the memories listed below...


*Brian had the first Atari I ever set eyes on. My brother Patrick and I spent a lot of time at his house playing Pac- Man, Asteroids, Space Invaders, and who knows what else. Brian was a video game master!

*Brian's house was so close to the railroad tracks that it'd shake when the train roared by!

* Whilst in front of Brian's house, my dad once lit some sort of explosive (I think it was July 4th) and through it into the air; when it exploded the street lights flickered and went out! We hid in the house and watched a police car cruise by, looking for suspicious "activity"!

* Brian had a "Doughboy" pool and we used to swim at his house quite a bit. One time, Pat and Brian started playing around by slap fighting. After a few minutes, they were slapping the ever lovin' crap out of each other!

* Brian always had the ultimate tan! After a cold, foggy winter; all he had to do was think about the sun and "POW" he was four shades darker than I could ever hope to be! I was always envious.

* Not only was he tan, he was ripped! He probably still is...

* One time, he and Pat had a hot dog eating contest on the patio of the local Der Weinerschnitzel!
I don't remember the numbers (it was disturbing to behold), but I thought he was crazy to try and out eat Pat. I think one of them yacked up a lawn and leaf bag's worth of chile cheese dogs!

*Speaking of yacking, Brian bought a pretty sweet Team Fuji (blue and yellow I think) and would ride with us on occasion. One time he had to stop, and he yacked on somebody's front yard! I always wished he'd of kept riding. He had freakishly huge legs! It's a shame those bad boy's weren't put to good use.

* He and Pat once shot up his backyard fence with a pellet gun. His mom, not knowing her own son was the culprit, freaked out and called the police. Brian "played dumb" when the cops came by, denying knowledge of anything. He hid the pellet gun between his mattresses. Pat once shot a girl (with the same pellet gun) in the butt, sniper style, from Brian's bedroom window. I don't think they escaped that one.

* Brian toilet papered his own house at least once! WTH?

* He once got into a fight with some kid named Eddie. We we're at Mayfair elementary playing baseball. I don't remember how it started, or who came out on top.

*He had numerous jobs. Taco Bell, Long John Silvers (deep fryer burns), and Televideo. He was robbed at least twice at Televideo, one time he was left hogtied in the restroom! He bussed tables with me at Roger Rocka's Music Hall and I think he got me a bussing job at some no-name diner. It sucked, and I quit a couple of days later.

* He usually had impeccable taste in music, but for some unknown reason was hooked on the album/ song "Alice's Restaurant" by Arlo Guthrie, and several Kenny Roger's songs! He'd play them all the time; perhaps he was trying to get Pat and I to go home!

* His mother's funeral was the first Catholic service I ever attended. I felt terrible for him and wished I could say something profound to comfort him. That's a rough thing for a teenager to go through. Sometimes, life can be pretty serious.

I'm sure I'll have more memories "surface" as we reminisce. I certainly hope he has as good of an opinion of me, as I do of him. Three cheers for you buddy!