God hands out Glory and Grief at the same time. I was flying high yesterday from my celebration in Spain to learn today that Richard Read, my right-hand man for decades, passed away, having suffered from both brain cancer AND Parkinson's. Why the sweetest man to ever walk the earth had to suffer like that is something I will bring up to God when we meet. Trying to describe my relationship with Richard is like trying to write about my relationship with air. Just...always there and always doing whatever it took to keep me breathing. EVERYONE always said to me "That Richard is just the sweetest guy". Which makes me laugh, because when I first met him (as part of the couple Dan Guerrero & Richard) he was hysterically biting with his humor. When I learned about Richard's passing at 4am, I didn't lose it, I think I was in shock. Then, at breakfast, Mark Sendroff wrote and said "the only bright spot to report, other than Richard finally being at peace, is that his sisters had taken him to their annual family outing at Lake George, where he had spent many happy summers and where he ultimate passed in the presence of his large and loving family and not in the facility in which he had been residing" I might have been numb at 4am, but when I read about this miracle of him passing, surrounded by his family at this cherished event, I totally lost it, and, sad as it may sound to you classier or healthier folks, we were eating at Dennys. I don't think they shall soon forgot the chubby man howling with grief over his "Grand Slam" breakfast. And howl I did. Richard, I am sorry I did not travel to South Jersey to visit you these last few months, I will have to live with that guilt forever. But I also know the life you led working with me gave you untold pleasures and I look at this small sampling of photos and know things are good between us. I'll see you soon enough, and I know you'll have made perfect arrangements for me to be picked up at The Pearly Gates. I will love you forever. Marc 💔