Good bye my dear friend Denise. I'll try not to be maudlin knowing it would irritate the hell out of you but you know damn well I'll miss you terribly. Who else is going to say immediately and in a loud voice what the rest of us are thinking? Maybe you were born with a silver foot in your mouth but your absolute bewilderment at the ignorance, incompetence and especially the small mindedness of others could only be marveled at out loud. I can say there were times when even I was taken aback by your astonishing candor but that vulnerability that you were loath to admit always shown through to reveal the kindest and warmest of hearts beneath your outraged scorn. I also have to say that to be honored by one's piers in the hard scrabble restaurant business is the greatest gift and to return that gift to one you admire is a rare pact of friendship indeed. I felt we shared that pleasure. And speaking of pleasure, I gotta say that whenever I was around you, I felt that there was a real joy that radiated from you. I felt that the last time we saw each other last summer when you showed me around the woman's club you managed, especially when you showed me your office, the wonderful light filled library.
There's much more for me to say and it will come out slowly as I realize you're gone. I'm sure you'll continue to have plenty to say and I just want to add that in spite of your brilliance and wit, there were a couple of times when even you were left speechless. Do you remember the time when Deborah came up to you during a lull at the lunch shift at Harpoon Louis' and said "My God! Your feet are HUGE!"
Oh, and one more thing. Since you ALWAYS have to have the last word:
I'll be seein' ya.
Rick
