Third hand today via someone else's social media I learned that a former compatriot committed suicide. I guess this is a routine method to find out such things now. We were never close, but we had some good discussions at a time in our lives when good discussions were to be had. Used bookstores, highway diners, a rare appearance at a deep dish parlor. He was James Leer in Wonder Boys (not like Leer, but actually Leer) long before that movie came out. I'd not talked to New Bull Lee in at least twelve years -- by each other's criterion I'd gone off to my vapid careerism and he'd pursued his pretentious nihilism. He pissed me off more than he made me laugh, but not by much. And the ways in which he made me laugh were unique and memorable.
New Bull Lee liked R.E.M. We had that in common.
New Bull Lee liked R.E.M. We had that in common.