The LonG ranger

Either a good cowboy name or a porno moniker. Maybe both. Actually, it is "Lon Granger" of the clan Geriatrics. I had just left a five year relationship that spurred my move from Sudbury back to my hometown of Sault Ste. Marie where I was meeting many new people who were of a completely different lot that I had historically camped with. These people were silly, bohemian, intelligent, nerdy but cool. My sister, after having been back in the Sault about a month, took me over to Lon's place to a small get-together and immediately I fell in with him. He was so mellow, wise for his young years, well read, thoughtful, deep, musical.... We started hanging out frequently, mostly wetting our whistles at the local watering holes including Algoma U. where we would play our guitars and sing on Thurs. night jam sessions at the pub. He was the first real friend I had and even though we have lost contact (our connection) I still often think about the impact he made on my life. He tuned me into Jack Kerouac, Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, Sal Bellows among others. He saw things in me that I had no idea were there and helped my confidence greatly. I don't think he realized until too late how dysfunctional I was then, being that up to that point my life was a relative mess. I felt like a king in those early days enjoying a popularity I had never known possible and will probably never know again. Of course, I had neither the maturity nor the mindset to cope with all that was happening in my new environment. It all went to my head and that was the beginning of the end. I stopped being a good friend to Lon (and others), mostly because I became self-absorbed with my problems (mostly self-made) and we all know there is no talking to someone in that space. I was working on a paper for University on Somerset Maugham's short story "Mr. Knowall" of which Lon helped me with. He came up with a fantastic spin on the story which I used and took full credit for (such was my need to feel others see me as intelligent) which is just one of many examples of how far above me as a human being he was then. He has been on my mind a lot of late mostly because I believe he was one of a few people who made a big impact on my life for the better. And, even though I was a crappy friend, I will always be thankful for his friendship and the great times I shared with him for in the end he made me a better person. The quiet guy who was maybe too nice and often got the raw end of the deal, but could still smile and not take it all to seriously for the most part (excluding mutual crying jags at the Jolly Cryer over lost loves).