Ya' know, not a day passes that Rick doesn't enter my thoughts. That's powerful. I've lost other friends but only the rare few are in that particularly rarified air.

I loved Rick. This place has never been quite the same since his death. We arrived here within days of each other and in a very short period of time we began telling each other things we had never or rarely admitted to anyone else before. Both of us were in awe of the power of the net and this wonderful place as a means of communication.   On many occasions, including many times on these threads, Rick commented that real and lifelong friendships were being formed here.......and he was of course right. Rick's life was just far too short.

When I almost died in '99, Rick rode it out in the manner best suited to him.......music. He took something he'd been working on, worked on it hard during that month and when I was out of the woods finally, he told me the name of the tune that would be on his newest album was "Catspaw's Rag."   He was so excited to tell me and I was without words to express my thanks. I mean, what the hell could I say but a "Thanks".......Who has a song written for them? Especially a fatass in poor health still shy of 50! Just a few weeks later, I turned 50, an age many of you who were around back then never thought I'd make. Rick sent me one of his hand tooled guitar straps that he had made for me with a little note written in the leather. "Happy Birthday. Glad you made 50 from your friend in Toronto." And the best part of that was the word "friend".....because he was.

In other posts around here I have talked at length about the many things that I loved and were so special about Rick but I think the best thing was simply the friendship. It didn't matter how it developed or the methods it took. It was a wonderful friendship of the kind we all wish for at least once in our lives. I have been blessed with several. Rick was a very important one.

And to so many of you here that I have come to know and found friendship with over these years, let's all remember what Rick left us with a smile to cover the lump in our throats. A kind and gentle man with a zest for life and a heart that encompassed all.

Spaw