I lost a friend this month and this is my letter to him, since I never got to say goodbye.
My Friend, Dragon
Doug, you are greatly missed. I received my last e-mail from you on the third of December. I didn’t see it until the fifth. I never knew when I hit that respond button that you would never see it. On the sixth, I received your final letter to me. It took me over a week to find your remains and I tried to give you a decent send off, but apparently your uncle stepped in from nowhere and had you cremated with no ceremony. You deserved better, though, I believe this is the way you would have chosen to be sent off, with no pomp and circumstance. I truly hope you know how many lives you touched with your generosity and knowledge.
You took the time to teach so many virtual strangers, people you never met in person, about so many different topics. You always had time for your friends and our stupid questions, which you always answered patiently and thoroughly. You always had a word of encouragement and advice for a wayward friend. I wish I would have listened more. I am truly grateful to have known you and to be among the few that you called friend. You were among the very few, outside of my club, that I consider my brother. I wish the I would of known the last time I saw you would be the last.
Even in your death, you have managed to help me. You have brought me a couple of new friends, men that you trusted, which is enough for me. You have put me in touch with old friends that I have not seen or talked to in ages. I have no doubts; you knew what you were doing and you had a reason to ensure I was in touch with Doc and the others.
Doug, you took on the awesome responsibility of both of your parents when they fell ill. Neither even knew who you were towards the end of their lives, but you kept on, determined you were the only one that would properly care for them. You eventually sold your collection of motorcycles and parts just to keep a roof over your comatose mother’s head long after your father had passed on. You went above and beyond what anybody could have ever expected any man to do.
Brother, you have brought me hope for an afterlife, something I never put much thought into. I hope that one day we can ride together in the hereafter, where there is no pain and no worries. I hope you are finally riding that old panhead again. My old chopper is just about back together and I would be honored, if you are able, if you would ride beside me once in a while. Until then, know you are loved and greatly missed
