You Never Know How Short Life Can Be

Aren’t we all just Magnolia leaves in the wind to touch and give beauty for a little while?

I was saddened to learn this afternoon that a colleague of mine that I’d worked with for over a decade had passed away suddenly within the last day or so. I heard he was found in his car in his driveway by his youngest son as he was going out for coffee. Heartbreaking! After hearing this news it got me to thinking back about all the projects and even the fun times we all had. I can remember when he started at ADL where I had already been for a few years at the time and then as we transitioned over to the other company that eventually ended buying our group out. Working together on the pot project for the state when they were first exploring how to do it is the one that stands out in my mind, but there were also other smaller projects that we all worked on together over the years, like some old base in PA that had a bunch of contamination and a mapping project for an Army base that would never seem to end. I remember he, I and another guy would play Quake 2 deathmatches long into the evening after work. He even made and designed some of the levels that we played on – and they were good! I always hoped we’d get together sometime and maybe play another match or two but I guess that’s not to be. We would watch his guitar playing and singing videos on Facebook and YouTube and laugh because he surely couldn’t sing, but he tried and his guitar playing wasn’t actually all that bad. I have so many stories and they bring a smile to my face. I just remember that this guy would work himself to the bone, getting by on a few hours sleep for weeks, always working. He really put a lot into his work. And for what? I remember one time at work he just collapsed in the office and 911 and the EMTs all came down and gave him tests and all that. He refused to go to the hospital of course even though the EMTs thought it would be a good idea. I think he was embarrassed but we were just glad he was ok. Just goes to show that you really never know how short life can be. I’ll miss DNO (his moniker on the videogames). He really was a good person. Hearing the news today really brought me down and I feel for his family.

This morning I took my mom for her first ever Covid test. Drive up right to Assembly Square where CHA has a nice little tent set up there. You drive in, the nurse takes some notes, and then the swabs go up and in the baggie. All in all, the process maybe took about 9 seconds once it was her turn. Pretty painless. Now to await the results, which I’m sure will be negative. Just a formality they put you through. Her surgery’s been pushed off to 12:30 in the afternoon on Monday which I find a lot more convenient that the earlier 6 am time they had said. I hope it all goes well. I know it’s a pretty common procedure these days but I still worry.