This week is probably the last installment of my Howard Gently collection. My dear friend Russell appeared on many shows - nearly 170 of them - as my "spiritual mentor" in improvised bits. We lost Russell just over three years ago & I've played his appearances in chronological order every three months since then.
Since we're nearing the end of these appearances, I was thinking about the last time I saw him in person. I think it was about a month before I left for Portland. My wife & I visited with him & his wife in Dallas to say goodbye. I did return to Dallas only once before he died, but it was during my mother's memorial, & I didn't imagine I had the time to visit him - & it was deep in the pandemic & he was a germaphobe. Once I repeated something someone said about the pandemic - "We're all going to get Covid eventually." He responded, "I don't think I'll get it." & I don't think he ever did.
Russell & I as kids spent most of our time together on the phone, & as adults, since we lived far apart, we spent most of our time together chatting on the computer. We did occasionally see each when we were both living in the Dallas area, but going away was not a big barrier to our friendship.
However, I didn't think it would be the last time I'd ever seen him, but I guess most of the time we don't know it's going to be the last time. We spoke pretty regularly once I moved to Portland until the last year of his life - but I've talked about that. It makes me sad to think about that.
But I kinda wish we had said goodbye at one of our favorite places to eat, Kalachandji's in Dallas. We did eat together there probably in 2018. & that was a last time, too. Sigh.
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