The Long Goodbye...

 Andy and I shared a love for the works of Raymond Chandler. So I know he'd appreciate my choice of blog titles. 

Actually the first anthology I worked on with him was titled the Big Sleep. A lot of fun and it was my first deep dive into actually finishing a comic art project which would lead me to completing my first graphic novel Diary of the Black Widow. So I owe a lot of that to Andy.

The last few days have been rough. I've been through it before but it never gets any easier. Besides Andy, two friends of mine lost a loved one as well. One lost their Father and the other their Mother. And I went to pay my respects to both. 

My wife and I went to Andys calling hours on Tuesday. It was such a nice turn out and it spoke volumes the kind of person he was and how many people's lives he touched just by being a good person. They also had a lot of his comic art and illustrations on display as well as the toys and memorabilia he collected and decorated his studio with. Even the quote on his prayer card was from The Wolfman. Andy loved the Universal Monster Movies.

The memorial service was sad but a nice send off for Andy. His son's did him proud talking about their father and again, it was a nice turn out. 

I don't do well with grief. I never have. But I feel like the statement "You'll get over it" is callous because you never really do because there's a void in your life where that person used to be. I have an Aunt who passed in 1999 and I'm still brought to tears when I hear Claire de Lune by Debussy. My grandparents have been gone for over 20 years. And I still tear up when I hear We'll Meet Again sung by Vera Lynn or  Moonlight Serenade by Glenn Miller.

I feel like grief changes over time as the fond memories of the person come to the forefront of your mind more and more. But "get over it"? I don't think so.

I'll remember the good times I had with Andy. The lessons I learned. The advice he gave me. Talking endlessly about old movies and Batman. A character we both enjoyed despite Bob Kane being a first class putz. 

It's going to take a while to process my grief. But I won't be "getting over it".