Hallelujah Hatrack

Since today is St. Patty’s Day, or as some of us call it, ‘The High Holy Day’, I thought that I would do a (somewhat) Irish-themed 5 For Friday. 
 

My friend, Kevin, died unexpectedly in October of 2002.  I met him, or actually hired him to work for me, in 1990.  He was just entering college at that point and was one of the biggest goofballs that I ever met.  He was the office clown, but it was all calculated – he wasn’t goofy because he was dumb, but rather because he knew he could get a laugh.  He would come into my office “just to chat” or to let me know “how disconcerting” (this was after he’d gotten a word-of-the-day calendar) it was that a particular female co-worker wouldn’t give him the time of day or, when I was having a bad day, that I was “the best” – which was actually a pet phrase that he used with everyone, but he made it seem like he only used it with you.
 

Anyway, here are my five reasons that Kevin Martin was “the Best.”
-His goofy dance always made me smile
-He always made you feel like it made his day just to see you, even if he saw you every day
-He was my conduit to underground Irish punk rock
-Being Irish was an integral part of who he was
-He didn’t mind making himself the butt of a joke (and he did it well) just to make everyone smile
 

And a bonus sixth reason:
-He thought it was funny when I shaved his legs after he passed out one night
 

And a seventh:
-He would work at a playground in the summer and it was a riot when he would play basketball with the kids and post up on them all game long (especially since he was about 6’ 2” tall
 

And an eighth:
-After being a stumbling, incoherent, drunk at the annual Irish American Club picnic, he called all of his family’s friends to apologize for his behavior
 

And finally:
-That as a person with learning disabilities, he elected to become a special education teacher, and made each and every one of his students feel as if they were absolutely “The Best”
 

Later today I will be draining a Guinness while extolling the virtues of Kevin Martin with my two boys.  32 years was simply not enough.
 

This was his obituary:
 

Kevin Patrick Martin, 32, of Newington, loving husband of Jennifer (Atwell) Martin, died on Wednesday, (October 30, 2002) at Hartford Hospital. Born Sept. 27, 1970 in the Bronx, NY, he is the son of Michael F. and Ann (Moran) Martin of Wethersfield and lived in the area all of his life. Kevin was a graduate of Wethersfield High School Class of 1989 and graduated from Central Connecticut State University. He recently received his Masters Degree in counseling. He was employed as a teacher at the Manchester Regional Academy since 1991. He enjoyed all sports, especially basketball, football and particularly fantasy football. He and his wife also served as house parents for the TLC Group Home. He was a wonderful and dedicated Dad and Husband. Besides his wife and parents, he leaves a son, Patrick T. Martin; his twin sister, Kathleen Dunn and her husband Michael and their children, Fiona Grace and Michael J. Dunn of Wethersfield; his brothers and their families, Michael F. Martin, his wife Joanne, and their daughter, Grace Elizabeth Martin of South Windsor, Edward N. Martin, his wife Kelly, and their daughter, Emily Ann Martin of Rockville, MD, and Daniel J. Martin of West Hartford; his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Douglas and Marilyn (McKinley) Atwell of Manchester; and a brother-in-law and sister-in-law, James and Laura Atwell of South Orange, NJ. Kevin’s deep love for his family and friends and utter enthusiasm for living created a circle of warmth and laughter into which everyone was welcome. Whether winning at Setback with his beloved teammate Jennifer and anyone else brave enough to play them, playing “I am a monster!” with his adorable Patrick and his nieces and nephews to their delightful shrieks, making every family dinner an opportunity for laughter, or asking each of the countless students whose lives he touched, “How’s the best doing?”. Kevin dedicated every moment of his 32 years to making those lucky enough to know and love him feel not only important but comfortable enough to laugh. The zest with which he played basketball and rooted for his Giants and Yankees is surpassed only by how much he loved his family and friends, and how much all of us love him in return.