May 22, 2009

David

I wanted to share a story with you. It's one that's been on my mind a lot lately, given an event that happened last week, but more on that later. For now, I present to you, a wonderful love story.

David Fritschie was my cousin. His most prized possession in the entire world was his Plymouth GTX. His parents got it around the time of his birth, and when he turned 16, his father gave him the car. A beautiful matte green monster of a car with two black racing stripes, which he always kept in pristine condition. Two memories I keep about David was the time he had to send the car back to the shop after they botched a retouch paint job on the hood, and the time he scolded me for sitting in the driver's seat (a hell-worthy trespass in his opinion). These were probably the only times I ever saw him angry. It should also be noted that he NEVER let anyone else drive that car, under any circumstance.

But that's just a minor part of the story. The real story is about he and his wife, Beth.

They went to the same high school, but never got to know each other until much later. He knew of her in high school, even remembering the one class they shared and where she sat every day. About five years after high school, their paths crossed again at a bar. David came up to Beth and talked about their mutual friend who had tried to set them up together. Beth had offered to buy him a beer, and thankfully returned with two Budweisers, as Coors would've been a deal-breaker with David and then where would this story be?

They talked for a while, and Beth asked him to dance. David never danced, but for her, he made an exception. Later that night, they had their first kiss. Who kissed whom first was heavily debated, even after fifteen years.

They were deeply smitten with each other. One month in, and they were living together. Three years later, David decided he wanted to marry her. Knowing that Beth was not the jewelry type, he was puzzled as to what to do for an engagement ring. Then, he did something much more meaningful than any diamond could convey: He gave her a set of keys to his Plymouth GTX.

This was HUGE. Even we blood relatives were given the stink eye if we so much as touched that car, much less drive the frickin' thing! But even with this grand gesture, David was determined to get her a proper engagement ring. Money was obviously a factor, so Beth told him that if he really wanted to get him a ring, here's what she wanted... A Ring Pop. Watermelon. With a blue base.

David went to nearly every convenience store in the surrounding area, no doubt looking like a crazy person sitting on the floor of the candy aisle, sifting through every Ring Pop looking for the exact one his love had requested.

To this day, Beth still has that Ring Pop. A long since melted symbol of their love, and as Beth describes, the main reason their house is infested with ants.

This story of the blossoming of their relationship was something I was not aware of until this week. Being his cousin, I just remember Beth and David being together and that was that. Peas and carrots, as Forrest Gump once said. They were married soon after, and later had a daughter, Tess, who was this perfect mix of two of the best parents I ever witnessed. David was selflessly devoted to his wife and daughter.

It pains me to no end to use the past tense in this story.

David Charles Fritschie died on May 13, 2009. He and another man, a home owner David was helping out with a new water service line, were murdered by a mentally unstable man, a twice- convicted felon, over a dispute about said water service. This man, if we must call him one, is currently in custody and is awaiting trial.

I, like all others that knew and loved David, are heartbroken over this tremendous loss to the world. In my life, I've had to deal with death quite a few times. I've lost my father at an early age, and later lost my grandmother, my grandfather, and my mentor. However, all of these deaths, heartbreaking and tragic as they have been, were due to disease or freak accident. This is the first time I've been dealt the added devastation of having someone to blame. Since this senseless murder, we've all been pinballing back and forth from sorrow to rage.

David was my cousin. He was my older brother Eric's best friend and best man at his wedding. Growing up, David was like another brother to me, or as I put it at the funeral, the brother that didn't beat me up (not that I really blame Eric, because I did go out of my way sometimes to be a major pain in his ass).

And in all of this heavy flood of emotion, it's this story of David's undying love for Beth, and his devotion to her and their daughter Tess, that has pulled me back from the ledge. And while it's a small comfort in light of the tragic circumstances of his death, I know that David's life fits nicely in the category of "Life Well Lived".

His funeral this Tuesday was a testament to and a celebration of his life. Overflow in the church service caused a break out of folding chairs, and even then, there were many left standing. His coffin was adorned with the logo of his prized Plymouth GTX. He was buried in tie-dye, a fashion choice he wore nearly every day for the past 15-20 years of his life. Amazing Grace was played at the service, a recording made by Jerry Garcia, a favorite of David's.

David, we love you and we'll miss you every day until we someday will see you again. Be at peace.


The Tess Fritschie Scholarship Fund has been created at Bancorp South in Fort Smith at 1222 Rogers Ave; Fort Smith, AR 72901.

The Southside High School class of 1989 has set up a David Fritschie Memorial Fund at First National Bank of Fort Smith, P.O. Box 7; Fort Smith, Arkansas 72902.