Fifty Years – Never Forget

Sorry to have been away so long. Family has been dealing with some shit that, if you live long enough, we all end up dealing with. Not to worry. Luckily it seems to be working out in our favor, so I should be back on-line soon enough.

But this morning I woke up remembering our old friend Denis “Murray” Collins, and realized that today, fifty years ago, when we were all still in our impressionable teens, he crossed the veil. I knew I owed him, and his family, the mention.

I covered the man and that event pretty well in a past blog, three years ago, so I will refer you to it for the details. Just click on the following.

Hey Murray. – The Wise Novelist

When I wrote Finding Jimmy Moran, I wanted to give the Murray character a future that life robbed his namesake of. For what it’s worth, the pizza surfing burglar in the kitchen story was all true.

This blog is also an acknowledgment for the surviving members of the incredible Collin’s family who were so good to me during those magical days of our youth – Theresa, Jeannie, Maureen, Eileen, Anne, Mary Michael, Billy and Brian (and those that have joined Murray on the other side of the veil -Kevin and John – and Dutch and Mamma C). Dutch and Momma C were surrogate parents at a time I really needed them.

And, of course, this also is an acknowledgment of this anniversary for the OFC, Joe, BC, Lenny and Eileen, who, along with the rest of Riverdale – and many others like Jimmy, Jaysree and Yvette, who were friends of Murray from his days among the neighborhoods off the lower Grand Concourse, on whom Murray has left his mark. Murray had excellent friends.

So, this is it for today. Murray, I’m sure you and the family – all solid BIC – are rocking it beyond the veil while keeping a close watch on the ones still here.

For the rest of us, I know it remains Monday for many, but that too shall pass.

And no matter what we get up to, let us make today a great one.