Bon Voyage, Amigo

I found out this afternoon that a friend and former co-worker died of a heart attack last night. He was 49. You just never know. Death does not discriminate in any way.

Obviously, this is very sad news. Clyde and I had the kind of relationship where we could always make each other laugh, sometimes just by simply looking at each other, and often at inappropriate times. We often got scolded or were shot dirty looks for cracking up during business meetings over some silly thing. Clyde made this a fun place to work. We haven't had that in a while now. I have been sitting here feeling bad, but at the same time almost laughing out loud thinking of times that we had together.

One of the very best was our shared, two week business trip to Japan a number of years ago. I remember, among other things, us both being amazed at being able to buy cans of beer from vending machines in the streets of Tokyo and Sagimahara. We bought quite a few, even though the Japanese beer had a sort of formaldehyde aftertaste and gave us headaches. That was a unique trip that holds a number of good memories.

I haven't seen Clyde in probably six years, although he would email me and my co-corkers jokes and things from time to time. He had apparently been having chest pains for a week and didn't go to the doctor. Take care of yourselves.

Good bye, old friend. Rest well.