It's been a pretty crappy week here in the (not really that) exciting world of Mike. The other day we got a phone call - a great man and a dear friend passed away. I knew John Braun and his wife Esther first through church, then through working together at Donwood manor here in Winnipeg a few summers ago. John and Esther were caretakers there and showed me the ropes. They were generous.
John had one of the deepest, loudest voices I've ever heard. Never scary-loud, always warm and friendly and inviting. It was perfect for reading aloud. Wheverever he would see me, he'd smile and call out "How you doing, Michael." Part of me is sad I'll never hear that again; another part of me knows I'll always hear it; in fact, I can hear it now.
The other crappy news is that an English professor, a fixture in this department, is not long for this world. Robin Hoople had retired from active teaching before I arrived at the UM, but his door was always open and he was always interested in how people were doing.
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