On 3/15/2012 6:26 PM, Larry Colen wrote:
On Mar 15, 2012, at 4:03 PM, Walt Gilbert wrote:
I'm sorry for the loss of your friend, Larry. I remember you talking about him
a bit when I was there visiting. It was obvious you had great respect and
affection for the man.
Thanks Walt, Bruce, Paul, and a preemptive thank you for people yet to comment.
Between the photos and your email to the Linux group, you've put together a
great, warm tribute to his memory.
May he rest in peace and his family and friends always carry him in their
hearts.
It is interesting that this is the second time in the past year that "look at what
this shiny piece of kit can do" snapshots have come in handy as one of the few shots
I have of someone alive and healthy. There may be a lesson here about it being good to
show of your new gear. Or at least get photos of friends, even if it isn't a special
occasion.
If you want to know what I feel of the situation, here is something I wrote to
vent, before going to bed that night:
Hakuna Matata my ass
A friend once bought a used ambulance for towing his race car. I told him that he should name it
"Gloria Monday", as in "Sick Transit, Gloria Monday". Well I just had a
steaming pile of sic transit shat all over my plate today.
Despite knowing him for a bit over 22 years, I can't honestly say that John was
a very close friend. I don't know if we ever had any of those deep heart to
heart conversations that best friends had. But, over the past two decades he's
been there, in the background, doing little things that have benefited the
community in general, and a few that helped me in particular. Outside of
school, the first machine I had a shell account with net access on was deeptht.
A system he ran with his own time and money and gave shell accounts to pretty
much anyone that asked for them for free. Twenty years and an eternal
September later it's hard for most people to fathom what an amazing thing to do
this was.
Today, my emotions are a muddled, confused, angry mess. Upon hearing the news this
morning my immediate emotion was one of relief. Relief that the waiting was over. That,
the months and years of pain and suffering from the cancer had finally come to an end for
John. Relief at ending the uncertainty, not knowing when he was going to die, and the
rest of us can now make plans more than a few hours in advance without wondering if we'd
have to cancel them because we finally got "the news".
I'm angry at the loss of someone who about the worst thing I can say of him is
that he nearly waited until it was too late to write his will, because he
didn't want to do anything that might break his positive attitude, the only
slim chance at survival he had. I'm angry that a good man, with a wife and two
young sons is dead, while others, who would not only be happier, but the world
would be a better place, if they were to let slip from this earthly vale of
tears, are still alive, taking up space, and spreading vitriol and their own
special brand of pain and suffering to any and all close to them.
I'm angry that his two sons will grow up with only vague memories of their
father, and basically none of him before the cancer.
I could go on, but if I did, I'd inevitably succumb to the all too human urge
to make this be about me. My grief, my loss, my inconvenience, when what I
should do is shut up and let this be about a good man that died way too early.
--
Larry Colen l...@red4est.com sent from i4est
Another excellent tribute to his memory -- and judging by the way you
describe him here, he'd be very humbled by it.
I'll raise a glass to him, his family, and you this evening.
-- Walt
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