Today is August 22, 2025. When I got to work yesterday, I was told that a good friend of mine had died the day before. His name was Bob, and he was a good man. We became friends when I started working at my second position at the school. He was down to earth, funny, had a good heart and a lovely family. After we became friends, I would always get him a lovely tin of Swiss Colony Milk Chocolate Covered Butter Toffee for Christmas. I knew that was his favorite candy. Every time I would give it to him he would say, "You didn't have to do this!" Nope: but I wanted to. He said that I was nice to the support staff that are generally overlooked. I told him no one gets overlooked on my watch! What hurts the most about his death is that he only just retired in April; and didn't have time to do all the things he wanted to do. I just hope he got a couple of things done before he got sick and went into the hospital. Rest in Paradise Bob: I will miss our chats.
Also yesterday, right after I heard about Bob, Brie IM'd me to say that her good friend Patty Mayonnaise (not her real last name) had died that morning! Patty had fought the good fight for 10 years but cancer finally got the upper hand. The amazing news was she felt well enough to go to the Goo Goo Dolls concert on July 30th. Sadly, afterwards she had in-home hospice and went peacefully, surrounded by her loving family. She was an amazing spitfire of a Colombian woman and she and Brie had bonded as soon as they met in a training class at our prior job. I knew she was "family" when we allowed her to join us on one of our Super Secret Saturdays in Albany. It was a great day and she didn't reveal to a soul all of what we do on those days. Rest in Paradise Patty: you will truly be missed.
Today, I was talking to my coworker Shane about candy. He mentioned how he likes Whoppers, and I told him that I love the dark chocolate malted milk balls from Joann's Candy store in Saratoga. I then went back to my desk and a few minutes later: Kitty texted me and said that Gene the owner died! He owned the candy store with his wife, and we had become friends over the years. We would talk about soul music and disco and clubs...and candy! He knew just what i liked. He was sad with me when he found out my sister died; and one day i went there when I was feeling lonely and his daughter talked with me for half an hour about Robin, as it was a slow day. What a kindness! She of course remembered her from our numerous visits; and she had wondered why she hadn't seen us in so long. Gene has a lovely family and I will go down to see them soon to extend my condolences: hopefully on a day his wife is there. Rest in Paradise Gene. You will be missed by this Disco diva.
So there you have it: a really crappy trifecta. My thoughts are with their respective families and loved ones. I am thankful that I have wonderful memories of the three of them.
"Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted." Matthew 5:4 KJV
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