This week’s column was written a week ago, before I started my sober month and caught the shivery shivery shakes. So yes, I was downing rum as I penned it.
No major extras this week, though. I’ll let the column speak for itself. Instead, here are a few pics of the young lady at the center of it, so you can put a face to the name.
This is when Vanessa was still a teen. I’m coaching her for a role. Her hair was VERY blonde back then.
All grown up! Dancing while drinking…our favorite pastime.
Two GOP U.S. Congressmen and Larry Elder finally cleared out of my event (gooooood riddance). Now the band can play and we can cut loose!
The abysmal Rosie on my other side. Two women, one with a huge heart, and one with soul-rot. One is dead and one prospers. Such is life.
One of Vanessa’s later headshots.
I miss her very much. I hope that comes through in the piece.
Here’s this week’s column with the context, if you haven’t already read it:
David - I think this is some of the best writing of yours. I think you've captured something really profound and true about politics - that the "players" in the "game" forget that the rest of us have better things and people to focus on.
Better yet, you captured the essence of "partners in crime" friendships and the, frankly, random cruelty of the universe, that we experience often, simply by trying to live our lives. May your dear friend rest in peace.
And may you find peace as well. I know the "hardboiled alcoholic" thing has a certain doomed romanticism to it (I've been, ahem, intoxicated by the idea as well), but I hope you navigate to the other side of your drinking problem, however that looks. I'd prefer a cranky, sober Cole to a... cranky, drunk and disabled or dead Cole.
Unfortunately, losing people is a sad, but constant part of our lives, and that only increases in frequency as we get older.
All that we can do is remember them, and reflect back on the fondness that we felt for them, cherish their existence, and leave that empty space in our heart, for them.
It's where they reside forever.