Yup. Pete is old.

In fact, today he is another year older.

Everyone say Happy Birthday to Pete.

I’ve been saying Happy Birthday to Pete for over 3o-something years.

We’ve never missed each other’s birthday.

Sometimes we’re there in person, others, we’re there in spirit.

Here’s Pete with an authentic Carvel Cookie Puss™ cake. It says Happy Birthday Pete. And this was the late 80s, but I don’t remember exactly what year. But it was my house and I know Pete came down from NY for the summer.

Two years ago, I came up to see Pete, Emily and Social Distortion. And it happened to be the week of his birthday. Good times.

Last year, I got to attend Pete’s party thanks to Emily and a well-scheduled google chat. I’m sorry I missed that one in person.

You see, Pete did this awesome post here at Dadand about my birthday—my 40th. And I really wanted to do something as nice for him.

So I wrote this toast.

And I was going to toast Pete last year… on the google chat with all the people there…but I couldn’t get the sound working on my end. Then it got kind of awkward, like “there’s his friend from florida and we’ve all said hi and waved……… sooooooooo…….. ummmmm…………. oookaaaayyyyy”.

And I chickened out.

This was a screen grab from my gmail chat-gone-awry. I don’t even know why I had a screen grab, really (It was a screen shot of my whole monitor). But I completely found it by accident tonight, almost like it was pre-determined that I use it to accompany my year-old toast. Serious. Really. For real.

So here’s the toast (yes, it has part of “The Story” in it). Happy Birthday Pete.

A Toast to Pete.

I’ll start by telling the abbreviated version of our 30-something-year friendship.

Pete and I met in second grade. He borrowed a pencil from me, and then we sat together drawing Antland­–which was basically a world of ants with guns and fighter jets shooting each other and blowing stuff up.

But mostly we looked out the window at Dover Shores Elementary daydreaming of what we wanted to do.

Now if I could remember anything we wanted to do, I’d ask you now how you think we did. But I can’t.

So I’ll tell you all a few other things.

I had many firsts with Pete:

• First time I saw Star Wars, not that I’m a huge fan but people measure stuff against an event like that now (oh and thanks to Pete’s dad for taking us)
• First time I almost got struck by lightning
• The first, and only time I experienced the Elba Onion Festival (this is for local humor)
• And well… the second time I almost got struck by lightning

I think we’ve been great friends because we’re a lot alike, and I can’t determine if that’s because of the influence we’ve had on each other or I just really lucked out:

• We’re both in advertising
• We both like fixing things, stuff with engines and most bands with the word “dead” in their name (unless they are grateful—we both don’t like that)
• We both will wear the same pair of pants almost indefinitely

So, you still got those jeans on Pete?

Well for me, I think it’s the latter. I really lucked out to have a friend in Pete.

I’m sure all of you feel the same way…

He’s got a brilliant sense of humor and a sense for adventure.

He’s got talent that goes for miles, and a smile that’s just as wide.

He’s always been there to help, and always up for a good time.

He’s a dedicated father, son and friend.

Pete, for 30 years you’ve been my classmate, my therapist, my partner in business and my partner in crime, but most of all…my brother.

You’ve been there for the good and bad, through the thick and thin, but…thank god…never for the ins and outs…

So with that, I’d like to raise a glass to Pete, welcome to 40, Happy Birthday.

love you brother.

(Sidebar/Disclaimer: I usually don’t make dirty jokes like that but I think you are supposed to in a toast, and I would have told younger ones in the crowd to put on some earmuffs. Plus people were drinking and I figured I could get at least one cheap laugh out of this.)