John, a friend of mine died. I just found out yesterday, although he died on the 21st. He had cancer. Bone, if I remember correct. He had a long line of illness and other problems that culimated in him ending hospice.

I played a lot of games with him over the years. He was infamous for his half-orcs in dungeons and dragons and playing Klingons in star fleet battles.

I know none of you know him, but I don't know where else to... express it. A friend of ours sent out this message and I thought I'd share it - for all of those who have lost a fellow gamer.

He was really more a friend of my sister's. She's 3 years older than me, but I've played games of all sorts with them since I was high school and she in college (where she met John).

The Empty Chair
Eulogy for a Gamer

There is an empty chair,
at the table this day.
A hallowed place where,
a friend once played.
The roll of his dice,
my ears long to hear.
Or perhaps it would suffice,
if he should suddenly appear.
With character sheet in hand,
and a bag of Cheeze-doodles to share.
All his friends would stand,
as he sat in the empty chair.
I hear his voice a-callin’,
and it ties my heart in a knot.
For he cries, “Though a comrade has fallen,
You must play for those who cannot.”
We conquered worlds on the run,
he and I in the name of fun.
And as others may come and go,
I make both both friend and foe.
But what I long for most,
is our past now long a ghost.

A suppose the added hurt is knowing another friend of mine, this one in his eighties, is on the downhill run toward dying. I've known him for a long time and it adds to the sadness that I haven't really gotten to see him much - his rather immense famiy (10 kids, over 30 grandkids) are all camped out to be with him till the end - and I don't want to intrude.

It just seems likea sad time right now. I hope things are going better for everyone else. God bless.