Ryan Neil Roberson

West Point, 1994

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Rusty Bailey on December 12, 2005:

I've been in denial this past month, about the loss of my classmate, my roommate, my friend. This is the time of year when Robey would play Christmas music in our room and laugh at me as I stayed up all night to write yet another sosh (social science) paper. Robey and I spent many an hour getting ready for and walking the area, too, as part of the "Hanging Five" D-1 Ducks - an elite group of rowdies who challenged West Point's attempts to change its traditions toward becoming more politically correct. If you ever were blessed to see Tableman perform, you know what I mean. Our final challenge to the premise of "The Commandant is coming through your room for SAMI" (since we had heard it a hundred times over our career and it never occured) - left us walking the area in our final month of captivity due to an Axis and Allies game being left out while in play. It was noted on our clipboard by the Commandant, "Looks like the Axis is in charge of this game!" Robey was always in charge. I keep thinking that Robey will call me up out of the blue and challenge me to a ping-pong game. We used to play for hours in the "sinks," working up a sweat as we slammed our bodies into lockers and benches and buddies who would come and watch these epic battles. Robey would buy these ping-pong balls that were painted like soccer balls (because I played soccer). One of our rallies should have been on ESPNs highlight tape - it lasted 39 shots and left us both on our backs laughing until we cried. The last time he visited my family from Ft. Irwin, we reignited the rivalry, but it just wasn't the same. We didn't have the West Point blues or gray to get out of our system. We didn't play with the same reckless abandon. We just played for fun. I wish we could play one more time. I love you man! Your bro, Rusty

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