From Cupcake

I met Bucky about 15 years ago when my dad started at Metro. We used to always come to the 'take your kid to work days.' Quite a few years later, I myself started working at Metro. On my very first day, Bucky wondered over to CSC and said "what the hell are you doing here?" He gave me a bunch of crap and made me feel really relaxed. Over the past two years I've looked up to him and grown to love him like an uncle or even secondary father figure. I could go to him and call him for anything and he knew when to be serious and when to be a smartass.. He helped me plan my dad's 50th birthday party, he told me how happy he was that I had finally met a guy "who isn't a useless piece of sh!t,"in his words. haha.. and he made me smile everyday when I would walk into Ryerson. His words everyday were "good morning cupcake." with either a sentence following about how i looked like crap or that he talked to my dad and asked 'have you heard...? they didn't tell you?...' just to get a rise out of me. I was never Deanna, I was always cupcake. And to me he was Sunshine, Bucky or asshole. I felt privileged that he would confide in me with personal troubles and worries, and ask for my help or opinion on other things. I loved watching his face light up when he talked about his wife Judy and his kids. He loves his family so much and was so proud of them in everything they did. I could tell by listening to him talk they they are a strong bunch that can hold each other together through anything. I was able to see the softer side of him, the vulnerable side if you will.

He always reminded me that the worst days will always end and that I always just need to keep my head up. In the game of life, he won. He accomplished everything and more that a person should accomplish in life. A part of my heart will always be with Bucky and I will probably think about him daily. I looked up to him and aspired to achieve the same outlook on life that he had. I will miss him as I myself grow fully into 'adulthood.' He will be noticeably missing when I get married one day, or when I have kids. He always said that it was going to be a blast to watch me be a mom one day and watch mt scramble and freak out. I get teary even now thinking about all these things and the fun things we did do together. Like our water fight that we got scolded for starting last summer, or getting a bunch of crap from everyone when we'd rave about "5 star restaurants" in Bonney Lake and Enumclaw (our favorite to talk about was the Rainier).. or just 3 weeks ago when we went to the bar after work one night with some other co-workers (he drank, i played pull tabs) and I gave him a ride home. I recently just got bumped to south base and all the Ryerson boys apparently missed me. He told me he had to pee and if I didn't pull over he was gonna pee all over the inside of the car (it was Tyler's car).. So I had to pull over in rush hours traffic on the side of HWY 18 so that he could run into the woods to pee. Good times. That was the last time I saw him. I dropped him off at the Bonney Lake park and ride, gave him a hug and he laughed and told me how happy he was that I came out and he said ' we miss ya kid. come back to Ryerson soon before we have to come kidnap you.'

I am going to miss that more than anything, but I feel blessed and honored to be able to say that I was able to have him in my life. He was a rare and extraordianry person that will never be replace.

-Deanna Mays