Once Homer's mind cleared up, he opened his eyes and found himself on a hospital bed with a bandage over his forehead and a cast on his arm. Marge was beside the bed.

"Homer! Thank god you're okay!" she cried hugging him.

"Oh, Marge, I was so stupid. I forgot how good Barney was to me. Now I'll never be able to thank him," Homer replied sadly as he groaned in pain.

"Well, you could always visit his grave. It hasn't moved the last time I checked," Marge said.

"That's the first thing I'm going to do once I get out of here!" yelled Homer, who was determined to make things right.

Suddenly, Chief Wiggum walked in with Lou and Eddie.

"Not so fast Mr. Simpson. A sample of your blood showed it was over the legal limit. You're lucky that you didn't kill anybody, because it would've been a lot worse for you. Since this isn't your first DUI, you'll have to spend 30 days in jail."

"Aw, way to kill my spirits after almost dying, Chief," Homer muttered bitterly.

After a long 30 days behind bars, Homer arrived at the cemetery to visit Barny's grave. Marge drove him there since his license was suspended. Homer approached the gravestone which said, Barney Gumble: "Don't cry for me. I was already dead." Homer stood in silence for a few seconds trying to figure out what to say.

"Hey, Barn. I'm sorry I haven't visited you. I'm sorry how I forgot what made you my best friend. I'm sorry I couldn't tell you what you meant to me when you were still here. I'm sorry for saying 'I'm sorry' so many times now."

Homer had tears in his eyes, but pulled himself together after a couple of minutes.

"I know you can't hear me, but I hope you've made some new friends up there Barn. You deserved a much better friend than me."

Then, Homer took something out of his pocket. It was a picture of Homer and Barney sitting in the stands of the Isotope stadium.

"I want you to know that you were more than just a drinking buddy. This will prove it to you until we meet again. I miss you, Barn. I'm going to feel like the third wheel hanging out with Lenny and Carl without you,"

Homer set the picture down in front of the grave, and turned and walked back to his car.

One year, Homer's license suspension ended, and he was allowed to drive again, but he vowed to his family and to himself that he would cut back on his drinking, knowing he would end up like Barney if he didn't. He still went to Moe's every day, but he didn't spend as much hours there as he used to. It was the anniversary of Barney's death, and Homer decided to give a toast to his late friend.

"We all know what happened on this day last year, but we didn't just lose a drinking buddy. We lost a really good friend. I know I did. Cheers to Barney, guys."

Moe, Lenny, Carl, and the other barflies raised their glasses with Homer's. Barney Gumble may have been gone, he was not forgotten.