Wednesday, August 12, 2020
The first time I met Jim, it was to interview for his job. At the time, I wasn't privy to that piece of information. The interview was a success; I was offered the job and took it. During the first day of work, I learned that Jim had put in his notice. Our friendship was officially put on hold. Fast forward about a year after that and Jim started doing software development contract work for us. After I got over the abandonment issues, which I made sure to weave in to most of our conversations, I realized that he was a cool dude. It's not to say there weren't difficulties. He was right-of-center; I was left-of-center. He came from a very religious background; I came from no religious background. Basically, a match made in heaven… if it even exists. I think those differences, and a healthy respect for each other, led to the long friendship we enjoyed. Jim had a wide range of interests including literature, music, movies, history, good fiction, politics, astronomy, software development. He could hold his own across a broad range of topics. There were many long nights down at Madera Oeste where we would sit up and just bullshit for hours on end. We'd howl at the moon. It was marvelous. Some of the best conversations I've ever been a part of. The man hitchhiked across the country. Multiple times. He didn't have to read Kerouac; he lived it. Since he wasn't a braggart, the stories really had to be pulled out of him. On several occasions I got to pull at the threads of that tapestry and it did not disappoint. The characters he met on those adventures, the places he wandered, the sense of freedom he conveyed. I have no doubt those experiences made the man I came to know. He was generous, loving, accepting, and authentic. Jim, I'd howl at the moon with you any old time. Thanks for everything my friend. Love you.
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