Stanley

Over the Christmas weekend my dear friend Stanley Ottenstein died.

Stanley was one of the greatest guys I’d ever met. He had the most acerbic, sarcastic sense of humor that was lost on the slow-witted but left the rest of us shaking our heads. He was always quick with a pun so lame that the room would collectively groan. Stanley's back-handed comments would often 'cause us to pause to consider if he was being serious or not. Usually he was not.

He was constantly trying to encourage me to pursue my stand up and work towards my goals. He wanted the best for me and often chastised me for not doing more with my talent.

I hadn't really talked to Stanley since moving to Long Beach. It’s sad that moving just half an hour away can completely cut people off from one another. Of course I’m beating myself up over not staying in touch with him, but I just wish I had; even just sending an e-mail to see how he was doing and that I was thinking of him.

I don’t really have much else to say. I just hope that Stanley is in a better place, that he’s happy and at peace.


I’ll miss you Stanley.