That's a bummer.
I typed to Bill back around February and he was still hanging in there. He said he had slowed down even more than before but was still able to motor around. Even being slowed by the inevitable, Bill was still making fun of dying. Since this was open season, I'd join in. We'd get to laughing, poking fun at life and death. He'd always tell me how much he enjoyed doing that because the people around him kept acting like he was dying....classic Bill.
Bill ended up making it two years longer than the doctors predicted. On some level that's great but I don't want to think about how difficult that was on Susan and his son. I'm glad to know his delightful soul has been finally released from the tortures of his failing body.
Here's a quick pic of Mark (mark@marktwain), Deadfish (Bill) and Mike Allen at Music for Pleasure during one of our Music Crawls.
He was quite the character. I know Laura and I really connected with Bill on some elemental level. As he put it years ago, "I think we're brothers from different mothers." or something to that effect....and we were. We had tons in common in lives gone by. We'd talk occasionally and it would always turn into an hour long (plus) conversation. We'd pick up the friendship after losing touch for months (or longer) like life hadn't ever gotten in the way. Bill was as genuine as they come. He made no pretense of who he was. Bill was Bill and we loved him for it.
What a great guy, we'll miss him...and all join him at some point.
Here's to you my old friend
Save us a good seat up there. As you know, in a blink of an eye, it will be our turn to join you.
