Mamamontezz's Mental Rumpus Room

Acid Memory

Over on GutRumbles, there is a posting about memorials for Rob on this, the day of his actual memorial.

I was just a little at a loss at what to write. There is just too much to say. I know I was not near the friend as 90% of the people he knew. I also know that the encounter, however brief and seemingly insignificant as it may seem to others, was profound to me.

I owe my sanity, tenuous as it is, to Rob and to Catfish.

During the summer of 2004 I began a casual correspondence with both Rob and Catfish in email. A lot of people don't realize this, but Rob and I were Catfish’s blog parents, something of which I have always been so very proud.

Well, anyway, that summer they had planned on having a blogfest in Helen the upcoming fall. The Spousal Unit had just recently had his bypass surgery and wasn’t doing all that well. Finances were a train-wreck. I was depressed and on Zoloft. I needed to get away, even if just for a few days, but there just was no way it was ever going to be possible.

Then one day I got an email with Rob’s phone number. During the course of one of our phone calls he asked if I would be heading down for the blogfest. I let him know that it just was not possible, much as I would like to attend.

Then I got the email with my flight confirmation.

You have no idea how much that weekend meant to me. I was able to get away from all that was going on around me and enjoy a lovely fall weekend in the north Georgia mountains with people who I will always remember with much fondness. I drank Boone Farm for the first time (“that blue shit” according to Parkway Jim), smoked a wonderful cigar, tasted (albeit a little larger taste then I should have) Home Made Wine from a mason jar, and sang with Rob in a smoky room full of amazing minds, beautiful souls, and flame-red toenails.

Rob gave me such a gift with his friendship during a horrible time of my life. I wish I had been able to repay it in some way. Perhaps someday I will have that opportunity.

Thank you, Rob, for making this woman feel very special indeed at a very low part of her life.

Thank you for introducing me to Catfish and all of the rest of that group of brilliant maniacs and creative gems.

Thank you for sitting down and comparing “Southern Pedigrees” with me, and shaking you head as you said, “Damnit girl, for a Yankee you’ve got a better pedigree than I do.”

Thank you for bringing boiled peanuts to Helen just for me.

But thank you the most for touching my life in a most positive way. You gave me your friendship, and you accepted mine.

Posted by Mamamontezz at June 29, 2006 05:48 PM | TrackBack