Letter to B.

B-

Dammit, I took you for granted, and for that, I'm sorry.

I thought we had plenty of time -- time to collaborate, & trade art, swap tips and tease each other. Time to argue over whose techniques were "right", & commiserate over what slobs we were surrounded by in the shop (oh, no, never us, though!).

I took it for granted that we would be friends forever, because you were one of those people I sure intended to have as a friend forever. I figured we'd argue about the right way to tap ink off of a squeegee until we were feeble and grey, tomato, tomahto.

I can still see you peering over your glasses at me, still hear your laugh, still remember the way you'd cock your head and haltingly say "hmmm..." when you didn't know what else to say.

When I saw your car at the curb I would get excited, like a puppy, couldn't wait to catch up with you and hang out, see what idea you were working on, dream up some Lucy-and-Ethel style cockamamie idea together. We should still be working on those ideas together, it just isn't fair.

You taught me so many lessons, and the last one is this: don't take your friends for granted, because you never know when they'll be gone.

I wish we had made more time to just hang out. We were both always so busy, but for what? Nothing could be more important, and now I miss you so much it hurts like a bee sting, a killer bee.

You were too smart, too talented, and too good a person to have left the world this way. I hope you know how much you are loved, by so many, how many lives you've touched. You were so much more to so many than I think you ever realized.

Love you and miss you, buddy, and always, always will.

L.