Just venting

This is kind of weird/strange - this topic, I mean, but I'm sitting here staring at a picture of my friend Don who died last year when I was in camp. He was only 50. I only found out when I sent him a kerazy email and got a notification back that he had died. At first I thought it was some kind of joke. Then I realized it had to be real. It was from his company. I had known him, loved him, for over 25 years. It was a terrible shock. He was such a lovely man and apparently his funeral was crowded with people who loved him. There were over 500 there. And I didn't even know, couldn't grieve for him with others because I was out of town.

I had a neighbour who was larger than life. We bought our house from him in W Van - and he'd only bought it to top the trees, so he had it for less than 2 months. Oh, it's all about the view in West Van. We went to Germany and were supposed to have dinner with them when we got back. I called and called and called, leaving funny messages, puzzled that he didn't return my calls. A few days later I got a call from a dear friend of theirs with the news that he'd died suddenly from an aneurism. It was a terrible shock.

And then there was Louisos. He was our landlord in Santorini, but he was more than just a landlord. He helped us in so many ways. We just fell in love with him. I spent hours compiling a package from Vancouver with all sorts of goodies and I never heard from him. Then we got a letter from the manager telling us he fell off the caldera - fell to his death. It was a terrible shock.

It's funny - you know you're going to feel sad when it's someone you know and love, but a landlord? A person you bought a house from? How is it you can feel so connected to people you have so little, really, to do with? But sometimes you just do.

I've wanted to share about Donald ever since I found out but I didn't know how until now. I loved that man like a brother and I am devastated he is gone. No more jokey emails, no more lunches, no more conversations, no more anythings. Our history is gone. Our friendship is gone.

Life really is such a b*&ch. Or can be. I hate it sometimes.