Remembering Joey

May 30, 11:13 AMDallas Bartender ExaminerRobert Stahl

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Joey will live in our hearts forever

To be honest, my first impression of Joey wasn’t a very good one. That particular day, a dear friend had brought Joey into my bar. We were introduced, I served him a beer, and we exchanged pleasantries. Soon the bar began to fill and I turned away to greet other customers, as is my job. I can’t have been turned away from him for more than just a few short moments when I heard the rapping of a bottle against the bar counter-top, which, ask any bartender, is anathema to our ears.

Terrible twosome: Joey and me at Halloween

I turned. Joey was glaring at me, his head cocked to one side as he held up an almost empty beer bottle, shaking it at me.

A couple of things were running through my head at that point, neither of them particularly good. First, I was amazed that such a little guy could have finished a beer so quickly. Second, I was shocked at his audacity. I had just been standing in front of him, like less than 90 seconds ago, and all of a sudden he needed another beer, and he needed it right now?

Shane and Joey getting ready for the Police concert

I crossed the bar, stood in front of him and took the beer bottle from his outstretched hand, hurling it into the trash. I opened a new one and set it in front of him, explaining to him as calmly as possible, that it was probably a good idea to never do that again. Ever.

But that was Joey Musmecci. He could sometimes be that guy. Hmmm, how else to describe him. Ok, you know how some people are real easy going and mellow? Well, Joey was the opposite of that.

Somehow after the sting of our first encounter, we ended up hitting it off. Joey worked hard at two jobs, as a flight attendant and an apartment hunter, and he would drop in the bar every week or so to unwind after a difficult day. Over the next several months we spent hours together. I got to watch him interacting with others, which was always interesting. Whether by design or default, Joey was usually the center of attention. A gregarious soul, he would just jump in and talk to anyone in the bar, even a complete stranger, about absolutely anything. Joey’s life was an open book. There were no secrets with him. Within moments of knowing him, you knew who he was and what he was all about, and he made you feel like you’d known him forever. Over time, I got to see him for the remarkable person he was. I admired his conviction, and respected him for his candor. Joey was passionate about well, everything, and he was honest, almost to a fault. He didn’t always say what you wanted to hear, but isn’t that just the way sometimes?

Soon I introduced Joey to my partner Jim, and wouldn’t you just know that they hit it off? Soon, the three of us were hanging out after work or on weekends, laying out at the pool, getting stinking drunk together, or engaging in Joey’s other favorite pastime, shopping. We got to know him pretty well, but I have to admit, he made it pretty easy. He was so much fun to be around! Joey was the type of person who never hid his feeling, and couldn’t even if he tried. When he was happy, he laughed and he laughed loud. When he was sad, he wasn’t ashamed to show it—he would cry, and by God your heart would break and you’d just want to sit there and cry with him.

In the past couple of years ago, we saw Joey less and less, but I was happy when I found out why. Joey had fallen in love. We were introduced to Shane, who was handsome and sweet, and we approved of him. Shane has a daughter named Alyssa, and the three of them soon moved into a house in Hutchins, spending their time working in the yard or in the garden, or cooking out…you know, being a family. My last memories of Joey are good ones. He seemed to be truly content, and happy. Peaceful.

Joey died after April 17 at the age of 37, succumbing to an incredibly aggressive form of cancer. It was so unexpected and happened so quickly, few of his friends even knew he was sick. Most of us never got to say good-bye. I’m sure many others are feeling like me, all of us just staring into space and scratching our heads, wondering how and why such a bright, funny, and precious soul could just be torn away from us so suddenly, and so unfairly.

To finish off the story from earlier, Joey never did bang his empty beer bottle against the bar again. But oh, what I wouldn’t do to have him come in and do it just one more time. Joey, you’re gone, and we miss you. All of us do. If you did one thing in your time here on Earth--you made sure that we will never forget you. Ever.