Norman makes 5

Norman was in his late 50's when I was in my early 30's--maybe he was already 60.

We used to play a lot of tennis. I was much younger and more athletic and he beat me like a drum.

Once he asked me how I missed easy shots but got lots of difficult shots.

I told him, and it was true--not only in my tennis playing but in my life--"first, you have to be out of position most of them time. Then you learn to get those shots...."

Norman died this morning. In the past few months Reed and Kay and Bill and Susan have died. I preached at all there memorial services. Someone has to find who's doing this and stop them!

Norman was a gentle, humorous, lovely, urbane, sophisticated man. Mostly things I'm not (except for the humorous part). He was a member of St. Paul's in New Haven when I was the Rector there. He supported me beyond what was deserved. I loved him greatly.

A month or more ago, we went to his 90th birthday party. Jeanne, his long time companion was there and most of his family. He'd been through a bad--no, horrible--heath situation and came out on the other side.

It was quick and merciful, as he would have wanted, his dying, I mean.

I'm just tired of people dying. There must be a better way. It just pisses me off. Big time.

Only nasty rotten people should die. Dear ones like these five should go on and on.

When People Die, a friend of mine once wrote for a mutual friend who did die, It's like a bird flying into a window on a chill day....

Just that awful. Just that bad.

Hold on to the ones you love who live on....Hold on tight....