Select query not working!

[caseygollan]

why isn't this working?

I have a database connection established yadda yadda...
but when i try to grab the name of a user like this

<?php
  $user = @mysql_query('SELECT user_firstname FROM people WHERE id=1');
  if (!$user) {
    exit('<p>Problem with Query: ' .
        mysql_error() . '</p>');
  } 
  ?>

and echo it like so

Hey

Hey <?php echo $user ?>

i end up with this

Hey Resource id #4

What I want to end up with is Hey Casey

my database looks like this

table --> people

id ------------------ 1
user_firstname --- Casey