Sent: Monday, April 03, 2000 3:45 PM

Subject: Roll, roll, roll in zee hay!

What a great injustice to all things good and holy. The Cock Rock Hour being so rudely thrown into hiatus due to a public outrage of one old man who doesn't like what he heard on the radio, nevermind the fact that everything was well within FCC regulations.

*******We interrupt this rant with a personal digression*******

Friday night at Hawkeye's I saw an old, dear friend. I hadn't seen him in a while, which explains why my mind freaked for a minute. He left us several years ago, and he is sorely missed. I stood there for a minute, shaking my mind free; and he was gone. It was someone else standing there, but I was haunted by the image. All kinds of memories, good and bad, came rushing back to me. I felt the pain of loss again, and the lonliness of losing a friend. The feelings passed, I forgot my dead friend in the next couple of pitchers.

The evening drew on, we went over to Manhattens to see the Ghosts play. (Great show, by the by) When the band went into "Are You Drinking With Me, Jesus?", my mind began to wander again. I don't know if it was the band's name or the song, but ghosts began appearing all around me. For a brief moment I was concerned that I was getting depressed or something, and then it hit me to take advantage of the moment. I let myself go, and even more of my fallen friends were surrounding me, toasting and carrying on. Everyone (living and dead) was enjoying the show. I began to smile.

It's not that I had any unfinished business or anything to settle with these spirits, I merely missed them all. Some of them have been gone for years and years and years. The pain has gone away, but there was still this little hole inside me where they should have been but weren't. I realised that they were not there to frighten me, talk to me, or anything so dramatic. They merely came by to have a drink with an old friend and say goodbye.

I don't think anyone noticed, but a couple of tears welled up in my eyes as we all had one last round in Manhatten's. It was good to see my friends again. Now that I got to say goodbye to them, that little hole didn't seem to empty anymore. Goodbye Peter, Bart, Papa Coy, and the rest. I think I'm OK now.

Sorry for bringing on a kinda sad account for you guys, but it touched me and I wanted to share. Don't blame them for leaving you, or yourself for letting them go. Just be happy that you knew them for the time you did.

*******We now return to your regular scheduled rant*******

and the part that's left over is where butter comes from.

-Dave at the SSC Call Center