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Of all the non-fiction books I have read this is the one that I have read and reread many times over the years.

I gave a copy of it to my best friend Steve when he moved from Ohio to Baltimore MD about six years ago--a move I never entirely recovered from as my social life went with him.

Recently Steve was having some medical issues and was admitted to a hospital. There were concerns. He had taken his copy of Captain Blood along as he thought he should work on his bucket list. This made me a bit crazy. The curse of making everything about me.

My wife also was admitted to a hospital about two weeks ago overnight to keep an eye on her heart--a bit of an overreaction from her co-workers at the cardiologist she works for. She is FINE by the way.

When I called Steve about this he was being released form the hospital. The test results were grim.

He had decided AGAINST reading Sabatini's novel as he was going to settle down and fight this out and by the grace of God we would yet get together for the premiere of Astro City (a movie currently in development but don;t expect anything for years to come if ever). And there would be time.

That was about two weeks ago. I would call in about every three days or so and just get his voice mail but I was used to that.

Tonight on Facebook came the news.

He's gone and I have excellent hope he is in Heaven--much more then I have ever felt about my parents the truth must always be acknowledged.

Captain Blood will certainly be read by me again someday but never quite with the same joy.

Postscript: I first met Steve in early 1987 when I dropped by the Bookery to pick up some Dick Tracy comics on layaway. I was just getting started there so they did NOT know they had a sure thing in me and our friendship began tentatively but grew swiftly. Oddly enough Tim the owner sold me four issues over the past week--the first copies I've had of that series in almost a year or so. Timing is everything. I take that as a postive indicator of God leaving another precious memory that Steve would have enjoyed knowing.

RIP dear friend--you are loved.