Once upon a time a friend was someone you knew on sight, someone you shook hands with, had coffee or a beer with. You probably had been in his house, knew his family, and recognized him on the phone. Today we also meet and befriend people online; I call them virtual friends. We usually don't know what they look like, where they live, or what they do when they aren't online. But we now can have hundreds of friends who share our interests. I've lost a dozen friends in the last few years. Classmates, coworkers, drinking buddies. But 3 of them were virtual friends, including Ted Brown and now Mike. I never met them in person and never will. It's a strange experience. I feel I need some closure (hate that word), but am clueless. Words, especially typed on a computer, can't convey the sadness and helplessness I feel. I want to vent, to pay my respects, to say so long and thanks for all the fish (I think Ted and Mike would smile at that).
