It was the early hours of January 1, 2018. I had just gotten back from Cameroon, and I was at the airport waiting for my bag, looking down at my phone. Because it was quite late, the airport was empty, which was a new, but welcome sensation.
Then I felt someone approach me, I looked up, and it was him. My best friend Bemnet had come to pick me up from the airport. It was completely unexpected, but oh, was I pleasantly surprised.
Bemnet had moved to Vancouver a few days before I left for Cameroon and, it was the first time I was seeing him in a long time. For me, his picking me up at the airport was a subtle hint at the great year ahead of us.
We dropped my bags off and headed downtown ( common now it was the new year we had to touch the city, know what I mean?) As we walked the town, we talked about what we would accomplish that year, in the middle of thousands of people celebrating.
Our initial plan was this: “We’re going to go clubbing every weekend and focus on just having fun…”
Then a week later, before our first outing, we were talking in my room, and randomly, out of nowhere, we completely changed course. We instead decided to join the YMCA and get in better shape.
I don’t know where the inspiration came from, well, I know, but that’s, I mean, yeah. We did go out that night, but that was one of maybe three times we went out the entire year of 2018.
From that point on, it was a complete 360 to instead focus on getting better physically, emotionally, and mentally. We hit the gym; I started swimming again after a very long time, then I started lifting weights consistently for the first time.
We had terrific long talks about life, our parents, siblings, women, sports, money, books, school, goals, fears, aspirations, and you name it.
To put it bluntly, Bemnet changed my life. I don’t think he realizes that.
I have a lot of respect for who he is, what he does, and how he handles his business.
In 2018 I learned enormously from him, whether it was advice at the gym or the way to do several other things. His support was unconditional and always has been since we met in high school.
Speaking of high school, I cannot understand that we choose to study in two different schools on opposite coasts of Canada. They say that everything happens for a reason. I don’t think there’s a reasonable explanation for this one. It’s just us not connecting the dots.
Bemnet only stayed in Vancouver for a year and a half before moving away for work, but his being here helped me refocus in a still-potent way today.
The year 2017 had been joyful during specific periods, but mostly it had been just empty… So him deciding to move to Vancouver on a whim when he did, coupled with the inspiration I felt visiting London for the first time that year, put me on the right path.
I’ve never told him this directly, by the way, and men never give their male friends their flowers because, you know, toxic masculinity. So I’m putting it in writing here.
I have a lot of admiration for you, my G, and I hope I’ve been even half as good a friend to you as you have been to me. He called me when I was in darkness under the covers on the day Kobe died because he remembered how much I loved him.
I sent him a message when Nipsey Hussle also lost tragically lost his life the year befor,e because I knew how motivated he is by Nipsey, as he is the one who introduced me to him in 2010.
I hope we’ll share many more moments in the future, like driving to the US for your first time on that too sunny August day. Or the trip up to quiet Whistler the summer before. I also hope this time B-Rad will be there. Yeah n***a, I haven’t forgotten about you.
Lastly, I want to say that I’ve never had a problem being vulnerable or honest. Unfortunately, most people look at you weirdly when you do.
Sometimes I wish I could sing because had I said all the vulnerable things I’ve said in the past in song, GUARANTEED I’d be a millionaire by now.