Saturday, November 22

Remembering Rich as fate would have it

I met a person so many years ago. Had just purchased my first pc and with in a few weeks I met 'Whitey'. (went by that nic on the computer, he was a construction worker by trade and tanned well except for his.... well jeans area) . He knew the workings of the computer very well. Rich, is real name, was introduced to me by fate; I met him at a pool party the apartment complex had 3 times a summer. I really liked living at Arrowhead Apartments. I would be over at his place or chatting with him on the computer about little windows things, computer stuff. He introduced me to Paltalk, a chat program using the microphone, there were chat rooms there with lots of geeks, computer help rooms. A person familiar with the program could go to these rooms for advise on what to do about computer issues. It was very interesting and did teach me a bit about the PC. Problem was Rich was a heavy drinker. From a couple of talks with his friend /workmate I learned he had this problem for several years. Would miss work for a week on a drinking binge. Rich and I lived as room mates for about a year. I saw first hand what a problem this was. At that time an evening for drinking was generally 3 maybe 4 beers for me and I did not drink every night. Rich would go through about 3 maybe 4 fifths of Seagrams in a weeks time. Maybe I should have said something but thought twice and decided to not say anything. I had talked in some long conversations with Bob, his workmate, who had told me he had tried for years and it just complicated things between him and Rich professionally so he just let it do. I did the same thinking it wouldn't help and would complicate things personally between Rich and myself. Over the last 3 months of Rich's life I saw the damage. He was in the hospital for the entire month of October with panceatitise and died in Janurary form a fall that lacerated his liver. I was witness to and made the call to 911 when I checked his pulse and felt nothing. He was awake and talking to me while I checked. He was even talking to the EMT's as they wheeled him out on the gurney. The last thing I said to Rich was, "I'll be up to see you in a bit." I did try to get to the hospital to see him, car battery was dead, headlights very dim, was half way to the hospital and I had one of my epileptic episodes while driving. I decided to turn back. I did have a mutual friend take me up to the hospital. I was in shock when I walked in the room, Rich was unconscious, tubes everywhere. Jim, asked me did I want to stay there, he had to leave as it was about 2 am, I said no I can't do much here and I need a ride home. The next morning I did get a call from a friend, sounding very distressed " Rich is dead". My heart sunk to the ground. Many things happened that year, was a dark time in my life. Rich became a very close friend and some people said he was bringing me down and I did not see that. After Rich had passed on my life was very interesting but this post is getting to be a book and I will continue another time.

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