They Did Everything Together

I will never forget meeting Jim for the first time in the 6th story apartment we shared together in the do-nothing town of Gera, Germany. Our paths in life would cross because Jim and I just happened to start a new job at the same time and were required to head to Germany for a lengthy training process. Jim made it there about a week before me and he was able to fill me in on things I should bring or things I should leave behind. “There’s no tv which is BS” he would text me. Our shared apartment was on the 6th floor of a building with no elevator. When I walked inside the apartment for the first time, out of breath and with bags on both shoulders, Jim was in the middle of a workout session a shot a look over to me like he was sizing me up. I thought to myself "oh here we go, he's just some meat head who is gonna be miserable to be around" but his stare quickly shot into a full faced smile and a deep and loud, "whats up buddy!" From there Jim and I hit it off. We spent every day in Germany together, walking and talking on the way to work, stumbling through the language barrier at the grocery store and even traveling and experiencing Berlin together. I moved to Las Vegas for this job and knew literally no one except for Jim. He helped me pick an apartment to live at and gave me pointers on the best hiking to see. We sat next to right next to each other at work and I continued to get accustomed to his New Jersey accent. He had told me all about his family. His sister in Vermont, his brother in Boston, his hometown of Mahwah, but the thing I couldn't wrap my head around was his twin brother. Somewhere out there was an identical copy of this kid from New Jersey I had spent so much time with? It was a surreal experience meeting Bones for the first time. He was just like Jim, the only give aways were his tattoos and longer hair. I remember shaking his hand and just staring at him for slightly too long, probably making him think I was crazy. But my mind was truly blown, his voice, mannerisms, sense of humor, all of it mirrored Jim and it was a lot to take in at once. I couldn’t stop laughing and smiling at the fact that there are two of them! They truly did everything together. I am so happy I was able to grow close with Jim over such a short period of time. Reflecting back, he was one of my closest friends in the time I knew him. Learning about his time working at NJIT or going to school at Delaware, he had an energy about him that was infectious. We had discussed our hopes for the future and I will always cherish those memories and carry them with me. My thoughts are with the entire Skrable family in times of an unthinkable loss. Jim and Sam will be missed but never forgotten. – Tony Pistoia