Farewell, My Friend

By Rory
Throughout my life I have had friends come and go, and all of them have touched my life in some way. Each one has filled a void that had not been filled before, nor been filled in the same way after. Yet about a week ago I lost a friend that filled a void so huge, it can never be replaced. The size of that void is 22,700. The BYU Marriott Center has done/been every single thing that I could ever ask for in a friend. We first met in 2004, and while I was excited to be friends, there were many difficult times. In fact only 6 out of the 14 times we hung out that first year of frienship did we end the night happy with each other. Yet, this friendship persisted and I was rewarded with countless nights ending with everyone singing "Celebrate". The Marriott Center and I were best friends.

Before I go on, I want to explain to you why this friendship means so much to me. All my life I have loved sports, both watching them and playing them. On the rare occasion that my family and I went to games, I always wanted to cheer, stand up, shout and yell. But our seats were in the old people's sections and I felt out of place. I watched with envy as the students cheered, screamed and yelled, hoping one day that I too could cheer on my team. That opportunity was given to me at the Marriott Center. I got to do all that I wanted to encourage my team, and not only was it not strange, it was accepted and encouraged. My lifelong dream was realized. The Marriott Center allowed me to finally express myself in ways that I had never been able to before.

Now some of you might be saying, Rory, you're ridiculous; or Rory, get a life. But let me ask you something: what makes a good friend? Did we spend time together? Yes. More than many outsiders think might have been healthy. Did we party together? Yes. Twice we won the MWC and got to watch Lee Cummard and others cut down the nets. Did we have sleepovers? Yes. How many people can say that they have had sleepovers with friends other than roommates since high school? The Marriott Center and I have. It is for that reason that I shed tears as I left the Marriott Center after the New Mexico heartbreaker. I had said goodbye to my friend for the last time as a student, and though we might be reunited in the future, I will have changed, the familiar faces we hung out with will be long gone, and all that we will have left in common will be the memories we shared together.