DanielPemsler.com

Liam · Joined: 25 Jul 2006 Posts: 2

Now that there's been time to reflect, and I've had a week to be a mess and cry and struggle with the unfairness of DP's sudden departure (as I'm sure all of us close to DP have done), I'd like to share something that has brought me the most pleasure to think about.

-Somewhere, somehow, this thing started that we would use this certain phrase to address DP in certain situations. I know the origins have to do with some kind of gospel song that I've never heard which uses the abbreviation "G.P." for "God's Power". I don't think it takes a rocket scientist to see how the phrase "G.P are you with me?" turned into a popular shout-out for Daniel. "DP are you with WITH ME!?" shouted in our deepest and loudest voices would be the greeting of choice if:

a) you saw Dan from across the street wandering in his typical joyful strut.
b) he answered your phone call in any setting.
c) he ended up on your team in pick-up basketball.
d) he was seen conversing with an attractive, or unattractive, female.
e) he ordered the same meal as you at Silver Diner.
f) you needed to taunt him during a Gran Turismo or NCAA football match.
g) he needed to wake up.
h) he was on, or dangerously close to, a dancefloor or karaoke machine.
i) you wanted to convince him to do ANYTHING. This usually worked well.
j) you were exited to see him.
k) he said something really intelligent.
l) he said something really stupid.
m) there was a lull in the conversation.
n) you were bored.
o) the Heat were on TV
p) he bought you a drink
q) he form-tackled an unsuspecting friend
r) ...Ok you get the idea.

I think that on the surface the reasons for using this popular exclamation are numerous and probably vary from person to person. However, I KNOW that deep down the real reason that we so loved to hail him in this way was that we wanted to hear the response.

Invariably, regardless of the situation, DP's response was " Yeah, I'm with you man." Sometimes he answered seriously, sometimes mockingly, sarcastically, or joyfully, but he ALWAYS said he was with you. And upon reflection, I have realized that hearing him say this was the whole point of the exercise in the first place. It gave all of us such pleasure to know that he was "with" us. So much so that we had to ask him almost constantly. I mean, what more can you ask for in a friend?

Even now that he's gone, I don't think he'd mind us shouting it out, or even just thinking it to ourselves now and then, because I'm 100% certain that wherever he is, he is watching over us, and his response will always be: "Yeah, I'm with you man!"

What a guy.