Dustin Beasley Will Be Remembered for Humor

By Mike Bowers

(Reprinted from the April 2002 East Forsyth Talon)

It was early on a Saturday morning and I was at Denny's with a few friends, as it was the last time we would all be able to do something together before one of them headed off to Basic Training for the National Guard.  A few times during our meal, we heard sirens and saw a few firetrucks and police cars go by.  We thought nothing of it and just continued eating.  Then, as we were leaving the restaurant, we saw one last firetruck roar by.  In my joking kind of mood, I decided we should go "investigate" the scene.  I drove toward the lights that I saw from not far away and realized that they were coming from the bowling alley, so I decided to just ride by. 

As I slowed down, I realized that this wasn't a joking matter, as among a mass of police cars, firetrucks, and ambulances, I saw someone's covered body being loaded onto a stretcher.  The mood quickly changed to one of curiosity, as we were wondering who was there and what happened.  I found out not long after, as around noon that day I went to Food Lion, and one of my fellow employees asked if I knew a Dustin Beasley.  I quickly told her that I did, that I had gone to middle school with him and talked to him as recently as Thursday afternoon.  When I asked why she was asking me, she told me that he had died that morning at the bowling alley after being hit by a car.  That's right; the body that I saw being loaded up turned out to be his. 

I'm not going to say that I knew Dustin very well because I didn't (yet, at the same time, those that didn't know him that wish to honor him should not be chastised).  However, I did know him, and based on the time that I spent with him during school (especially Ms. Harris's sixth grade Social Studies class), I can say that I never, at any point, had a problem with him; he was just as friendly as he could be.  Of course, the one thing that sticks out more than his friendly attitude was his laugh.  The last I remember, it was a really loud and rapid chuckle.  Tell one joke and everyone would be laughing for hours, first at the joke, then at Dustin's laugh.  He never seemed to be bothered by it either; that shows the kind of sense of humor he had. 

The last time I saw Dustin was when he came into Food Lion on Thursday, March 28.  He came through my line, we talked briefly, and then we parted ways, with me telling him to take care of himself and him wishing me the same.  It's unfortunate that that was the last time I'd see him alive. 

The viewing was emotional for many people, as would be expected.  I think the most touching thing of all was what I saw when I first got in there; they had a graduation cap on top of his jacket, his diploma beside it, and he was in his shirt and jeans; it couldn't have been any better. 

This story is different from most of my other ones.  For one, it's not being written for a grade; it's being written to honor of one's memory.  Furthermore, this story didn't come from a regular Talon planning session; it came from the heart, and those are the best stories of all. 

Dustin Beasley will be missed by many people, but there is a bright side: Dustin is in a better place now where he can do whatever he wants to do and be completely care free.  May God bless him as well as his parents and friends, who now have a space in their lives that will be hard to fill. 

Take care, Dustin.