For BalerTwine
Yet another friend has died. Starting with autumn 2015 which I will meld into this year in my memories, 2016 has truly been a cruel year in terms of loosing our beloved heroes / icons as well as friends. I am now at a certain point in life where people are just as likely to be reproducing as they are to be dying, and this is not just confined to elderly parents and relatives and those who were diagnosed with unusual diseases, but those who all of a sudden will keel over without warning or sign of distress. Or perhaps they will show sign of distress, but others around them think it's nothing and do not interfere when they should have. But I digress ...
I regret to inform that Baler Wine a,k,a, Mike Friebert and I had not spoken in six or seven years, there were some bad feelings. Looking back, I think we both regret it. He was a unique mix of hippie nonsense who loved camping, fishing and outdoor activities and technological innovation (PhotoShop). He was the proverbial gentle giant, two towered over all like a lone sunflower in a field of wheat. Except for me. He had many sides of himself, which varied from silliness to rage. He liked to wear a ski mask and read poetry which was always hysterical, I'm sure Marq has them on his old tapes in the attic at his house still. He loved my food and raved about it, but when you have a bunch of middle aged bachelors as your friends that's a given. Mike was troubled towards the end of his life, many had taken advantage of his gentle nature. I was not one of them, but some had. Of this I am sorry, as this would be a problem Mike faced throughout his life. Towards the end, Mike tended to be more angry. Unfortunately for him, this anger drove me away from him. We had not talked in six or seven years, but a part of me hoped that someday, somehow I would see him again and we would make up. Unfortunately that day never came, and he left us a few weeks ago. While fixing the toilet in the bathroom, Mike had a heart attack and died at age 59.
I went to his funeral in Akron. Some wondered why I went when we hadn't talked in so many years, but I believe that when people die, you go to their funerals. It's for closure for the individuals who attend as well as showing the person who died that someone cared for them. His funeral was populated by a variety of people outside of his family - dirty hippies in overalls and punk rockers in suits and ties. I think he would've been happy to see that. And this is also a message to everyone out there who is missing someone or had a falling out with someone - make up with them at some point down the road. Swallow whatever it was that happened and tell them you forgive them for it, chances are it was just ridiculousness. Life is complicated, the world is full of lonely people. Even if you will never be friends again, closure is important for all parties.
RIP Mike. I'll miss your unique brand of humor and the good times we had. And every time I see a babbling brook or a badly PhotoShopped image on the Internet, I will think of you.
I regret to inform that Baler Wine a,k,a, Mike Friebert and I had not spoken in six or seven years, there were some bad feelings. Looking back, I think we both regret it. He was a unique mix of hippie nonsense who loved camping, fishing and outdoor activities and technological innovation (PhotoShop). He was the proverbial gentle giant, two towered over all like a lone sunflower in a field of wheat. Except for me. He had many sides of himself, which varied from silliness to rage. He liked to wear a ski mask and read poetry which was always hysterical, I'm sure Marq has them on his old tapes in the attic at his house still. He loved my food and raved about it, but when you have a bunch of middle aged bachelors as your friends that's a given. Mike was troubled towards the end of his life, many had taken advantage of his gentle nature. I was not one of them, but some had. Of this I am sorry, as this would be a problem Mike faced throughout his life. Towards the end, Mike tended to be more angry. Unfortunately for him, this anger drove me away from him. We had not talked in six or seven years, but a part of me hoped that someday, somehow I would see him again and we would make up. Unfortunately that day never came, and he left us a few weeks ago. While fixing the toilet in the bathroom, Mike had a heart attack and died at age 59.
I went to his funeral in Akron. Some wondered why I went when we hadn't talked in so many years, but I believe that when people die, you go to their funerals. It's for closure for the individuals who attend as well as showing the person who died that someone cared for them. His funeral was populated by a variety of people outside of his family - dirty hippies in overalls and punk rockers in suits and ties. I think he would've been happy to see that. And this is also a message to everyone out there who is missing someone or had a falling out with someone - make up with them at some point down the road. Swallow whatever it was that happened and tell them you forgive them for it, chances are it was just ridiculousness. Life is complicated, the world is full of lonely people. Even if you will never be friends again, closure is important for all parties.
RIP Mike. I'll miss your unique brand of humor and the good times we had. And every time I see a babbling brook or a badly PhotoShopped image on the Internet, I will think of you.
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