Seems like yesterday when I met the blonde-haired kid playing "Freebird" on the guitar in 1981 at a high school party. He played the song over and over. About the tenth time through the song, I was a little aggravated but from that day on, the blonde-haired kid, Mike Kandel, would be one of my closest friends. We played in a band together. We traveled the country, camped, hung out in countless taverns, he helped me run my publishing business, he stood up at my wedding, he was there for the birth of my children. We never stopped hanging out.
On my way to the Fishers card show in Indianapolis, I got off the 294 in Crestwood, Illinois, and drove the backroads all the way to Indy -- just like Mike and I used to do when we graduated college and spent six weeks driving the backroads of the West. Later that night, Mike called while I was watching TV in a crusty Motel 6. He was traveling the backroads of the West again. He was in Reno, Nevada. We made plans for when he returned to Chicago in about a month.
He died Sunday. We were supposed to drink Scotch and smoke cigars when my children grew up and got married. He was also supposed to take me to Aruba. There were too many things still to do. I am absolutely crushed.
I couldn't bring myself to write a blog this week. You guys are very patient with me. I've written far too many blogs about friends who have died. For this one, I want to share a video of Mike's band Tranquility Bass performing live in a club in Chicago in 1997. By this time, Mike had lost his blonde mop and replaced it with a Grizzly Adams' beard. That's him, fronting the band.
I'll be back next week with a blog about cards. Thanks guys!
On my way to the Fishers card show in Indianapolis, I got off the 294 in Crestwood, Illinois, and drove the backroads all the way to Indy -- just like Mike and I used to do when we graduated college and spent six weeks driving the backroads of the West. Later that night, Mike called while I was watching TV in a crusty Motel 6. He was traveling the backroads of the West again. He was in Reno, Nevada. We made plans for when he returned to Chicago in about a month.
He died Sunday. We were supposed to drink Scotch and smoke cigars when my children grew up and got married. He was also supposed to take me to Aruba. There were too many things still to do. I am absolutely crushed.
I couldn't bring myself to write a blog this week. You guys are very patient with me. I've written far too many blogs about friends who have died. For this one, I want to share a video of Mike's band Tranquility Bass performing live in a club in Chicago in 1997. By this time, Mike had lost his blonde mop and replaced it with a Grizzly Adams' beard. That's him, fronting the band.
I'll be back next week with a blog about cards. Thanks guys!
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