There are some people, not a lot, who make you feel much better just knowing that they are in the world doing their thing. These are mainly the quirky people who have no use for conventions and rules. Artists and activists and harmless kooks with strange hobbies. Warm-hearted people who mean no one any harm and who have original vision and hope for the future. Hell, even some slackers, like The Dude.
THE STRANGER: The Dude abides.
I don’t know about you, but I take
comfort in that. It’s good knowin’
he’s out there, the Dude, takin’ her
easy for all us sinners. Shoosh. I
sure hope he makes The finals. Welp,
that about does her, wraps her all
up.Things seem to’ve worked out
pretty good for the Dude’n Walter,
and it was a purt good story, dontcha
think?Made me laugh to beat the band. Parts, anyway. Course–I didn’t like seein’ Donny go. But
then, happen to know that there’s a
little Lebowski on the way. I guess
that’s the way the whole durned human
comedy keeps perpetuatin’ it-self,
down through the generations, westward
the wagons, across the sands a time until…
Even though he was the opposite of a slacker, that’s kind of how I felt about Ben Masel, a friend of mine who has just died at the too-young age of fifty-six. I met Ben at the Yearly Kos convention in Las Vegas, and I always looked forward to spending time with him at the annual Netroots Nation conferences. We didn’t talk much. Mainly, a random email or comment in a Facebook thread. But I didn’t need to talk to Ben to be comforted by his presence. Now he’s gone.
I like this profile from OPOL (One Pissed Off Liberal), who I met in Chicago and whose warmth and spirit also give me comfort.
You can see the love that Ben inspired on his Facebook page.
The world won’t be the same without you, Ben. Rest in peace.
