GARY
I met GARY when he wanted to join my hobby BBS, TASTY DELITES. He didn't have an ID he could send to me so I went and met him in person.
I never thought the "kid" (as I thought of him since he was barely 20) and I would become such close friends. He was the bestest
"Uncomfortable".... that was never in our vocabulary, I don't think. We became such fast, solid friends that it was as if we were with family. But this was better; we got to pick this family.
As a matter of fact, since Gary's death, our daughter remains his wife's "adopted" daughter. We continue to argue over "visitation rights" with the child. I'd argue she *would* be GOING to stay with them & Gary and Moon would argue she'd *NOT* be COMING. hehehe Since Moon has sinced moved out of state, our daughter will have to write.
I can't deny Gary and Moon are sort of Genny's second parents. They're very good to her and she loves them (yes, I DO say "they're" and "them" because to us, Gary isn't gone... he's simply not right here right now) as if they WERE her parents. Gen used to stay with them during school vacations, including weekends during the school year. Some "overnights" would turn into a week or two, as her school schedule would allow . She learned to pack extra clothes because she would be there longer than what she originally planned and she would have to wear their clothes. :)
GARY had a wide range of interests. Ballooning, E.M.T./First Response for his home-town, obtaining his GED and fighting for the benefits he thought he deserved. Most of all, he was a dedicated husband who would stop at nothing to protect his wife. The woman he loved.
First things first though :}
GARY was *always* working on his computer. He ran a local BBS called "WIZARD'S LABYRINTH" using WWIV while TD used RA. Yeah, I know the mention of BBSs sounds ancient, to have used a Bulletin Board System before the Internet took over, but it really was a great way to meet LOCAL people back then. I couldn't help him find WWIV again, so I taught him RA. Eventually, he had made "WIZARD'S LABYRINTH 2"
When Gary set his sights on something, he worked very hard to make it happen. His desire to have a HS diploma was one of his goals. He went to a local HS for the classes and he scored very high on the final tests. He was SO happy when he was told he would "graduate".
Gary enjoyed listening to music, especially by way of his computer's CD-Rom and its speakers. His favorite bands were: PINK FLOYD, JOURNEY, AEROSMITH, and comics like John Valby & Richard Pryor. He liked many other groups, but those were his favorites.
I remember one time when he called me and asked me if I was listening to the radio. I told him yes. After a little while, I heard the DJs (Mason & Sheean when they were still with WPYX106) taking a call and it was GARY!! He requested, and then dedicated, PINK FLOYD'S "Comfortably Numb" to me! He knew that was my favorite PF song... he also used to play it alot when I was over to their house.
Gary was a major TV buff! From videos to weekly TV shows, he had his favorites. He almost ruined video tapes by playing them over and over and over. His favorites were: HACKERS, STAR TREK, ST:TNG, DEEP SPACE 9, ZENA & HERCULES, WWF & WECW. Moonglow & I also knew how to irritate him by watching a movie or show he hated! hehehe He was quite "loud" when it came to him giving his opinions on: GREASE 1 & 2, DIRTY DANCING, DAYS OF OUR LIVES.
Gary had been in a terrible car crash when he was in high school. Because of the accident, he'd developed seizures. He worked hard to gain NY State's benefits since he couldn't work or drive, the latter being because he had to be seizure-free for at least 6 months before he could get his license. Almost always he would go 5 and a half months and then a seizure would happen. That's not to say that he didn't have them only twice a year. Unfortunately, he had them more often toward the end. It was said that his death was caused by "breakthrough seizures" or something like that. It's *supposed* to be a sign that the person is getting better, but unfortunately it causes many deaths before the "cure" or remission. Gary wasn't one of the lucky survivors.
We had our computer in the livingroom back then and every morning, without fail, this "Gary" person would be paging me. He would say it would only take a "quick sec", but we always ended up chatting for an hour. It was hard to not to keep chatting because he was such a likeable lug!
Finally, we met socially when he asked us over one night to meet his wife. We played Poker & Dice that night, and laughed more than any time I could remember! I couldn't believe this couple. They were as natural and as down to earth as me and my husband were. We each felt an instant bond with Warlock & his wife, MOONGLOW! It was as if we'd known them for years.
My husband had already been talking to Moonglow on the phone prior to us meeting. I remember nights that they would talk for 5 hours or more! That's what helped put us all at ease when we finally met.
After that night, Gary and I would always talk on the phone every single morning. We'd have coffee "together" and talk about anything & everything at those times.
Gary & Moon often commented that I was his "other wife" because he and I were so close and I knew almost as much about him as she did. Thankfully though, she didn't have a problem with us talking so there was never any uncomfortable feelings between any of us.
She eventually ended up with her own bedroom and she took clothes there "just in case" she stayed longer than everyone agreed on and she even had her own dresser, desk, cable TV, etc. In every sense, she's their daughter, except they can't claim her as a dependent. Her father and I still get that privilege! :)
Normally, if me or my husband wanted to see our child, we had to go *there* because she just never wanted to leave Gary and Moonglow's.
"WL" wasn't up & running when we met but he and his wife were eager to start up again. We were helping him find the latest software, games and other BBS programs that were available through the BBS-World as well as "networks" (I was a member of FIDONET, ADULTLINKS, ADULTINKS-II, and several other adult orientated networks before the WWW made our "personal, hometown" boards non-existant!).
Gary also enjoyed playing interactive games on the computer.
Gary's favorite motto was "if it ain't broke, fix it anyway!" when it came to his computer! If someone told him how to make his CPU faster by entering a code string, he did it. If they told him how to get more space by doubling up, he did it.
The Balloonists' Prayer
The winds have welcomed you with their softness.
The sun has blessed you with her warm hands.
You have flown so high and so well that God has joined you in
Your laughter and set you softly back into the loving arms
Of Mother Earth.
**Unknown Author**
Gary was part of the "ground crew" along with his mom, Linda. They would go all over our area setting up balloons for shows. Every year our area holds the Adirondack Balloon Festival in Glens Falls, NY.
Mainly, though, Gary stuck to the shows in Hudson, NY, where he'd lived at the time. His all-time dream was to fly one himself.
Unfortunately, he never got to do that, nor fill any of his other dreams he had. Gary was only 22 when he died suddenly.
It was discussed that his ashes would be let go from a balloon shortly after he died. Moonglow still has them though. WHEN, or even IF, she's ready to let his ashes go, then she will make the choice of how he's released. Until then, he's where he belongs.......
He's with the woman who brought him love, joy & happiness the last several years of his much too short life.
Sadly, he was taken from us just a few months before he would have recieved the diploma that he worked so diligently for.
Moonglow went to the ceremony and was able to accept the dipolma in Gary's honor & memory.
Our time together was much too brief,
As brief as a shooting star.
But unlike that same star,
That will continue onward, We can't.
We will never laugh, cry or sit together again.
I miss you, buddy. I'll never forget you.
And this page is my tribute to you...
dlc 98
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and
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Graphics set, "Jewelled Galaxy", and butterfly ornament used with permission from:
