A somewhat painful reminder of what the Internet is.

[Cartooniverse]

It's everything every placed there forever. In a thread from July of 2002 ( Who would you want at your dinner part, alive dead or fictitious?, I listed several real people who had died and whose deaths had greatly impacted me.

I miss them. I thought it a fine thought to bring them back to a dinner party along with the other historical notables I listed in my post.

Last night a PM was sent to me by a Doper. He was the brother of one of those people I wanted to invite until they died suddenly in the summer of 1980. He wanted to know how I knew this person and who I am. Of course I replied and we will have a conversation in the next few days either by email or phone.

My heart aches. Someone read this. Someone whose heart ached suddenly because I wrote a name that means so very much to them.

It will be bittersweet to talk to this person, but surely I owe them the kindness of sharing all I knew about their loved one. I do look forward to meeting him by word or voice and getting to know him now as an adult.

I will do well not to forget that the Internets, they don't forget.

Cartooniverse

[Peremensoe]

This seems like an entirely good thing to me. An aspect of your friend lives and is renewed in shared remembrance.

[Cartooniverse]

Couldn't agree more. It is a good thing. I don't dread the conversation- much to the contrary. I likely will fill in a few gaps and answer a few questions from 30 years ago.

Everyone deserves answers.