When I tell people about him, the easiest way to describe my friend Andy is by saying whatever I can do, Andy can do better. And I’m not just saying it to be nice or to talk myself down. It’s just true. He is smarter than me, can play guitar better than me, and can play hockey better than me. He also is one of the few people I know who can go toe-to-toe with me as far as life experience/challenges. He is also one of the funniest, kindest people you will ever meet.
When I was in the hospital with cancer, Andy would run up from his crew practice on Lake Quinsigamond and come to visit me. When we were in college (Andy went to Harvard), he saw me at my drunken worst, listened to me when I drunk dialed, and was always supportive. After we graduated college, Andy was often away conducting his own studies in the rain forests of Indonesia. In 1997, emailing from the forest wasn’t an option, so Andy and I kept in touch by writing letters and sending packages.
Here’s the beginning of one Andy sent me in February of 1997, with a funny “Have You Ever Done This?” list Andy made to update me on what had been happening on his end
(Notice #8 in the list - It refers to the first job I got after college…I had obviously told him about it in my last letter). Well, I guess Malaria isn’t that funny… Anyway, enjoy!
Thanks for all the laughs, letters, support, hockey games, and fun times, Andy! Miss you and love you!
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