Kheldar Septyn

I just found out that Erick Wujcik died on Saturday.

I'm a little shocked and stunned. I knew it was coming, but I just didn't expect it. Like a thief in the night, I suppose.

Reports are that he died peacefully in his sleep, which I hope was a blessing. Knowing Erick, he probably would have been interested in watching the process.

And DAMN is it strange to write about Erick in the past tense.

I never called him like I meant to. I regret that. I've had far bigger regrets, though, so this will pass. I also don't think that I'll be mourning too much. I did it a few times--my earlier blog post, some private moments, some reminiscing with Chuck, and honestly, when I was cleaning his office and taking care of his stuff when he moved to China. (I hope I'm getting the timeline right. He's come and gone so many times it gets a little blurry. It should have ben around 2003....)

I'd like to detail that event a little, but I just don't have the time or accurate details. But I know the emotions: when someone's gone from your life and you're left to clean up after their stuff, you feel some melancholy, some regret, some sadness. Memories of times shared, brought to the surface by something you find under a pile of papers. Surprise, when you pull out something you never, ever expected him to have, and wondering how many sides and details of his personality you've missed. A little bit of anger, too, because for Pete's sake who has this much crap? (Me, for one....)

It was wonderful knowing Erick Wujcik. He had such a bright imagination, backed up by a depth of knowledge I rarely see. I don't call him a Renaissance man--I never saw him fix an engine, compose a song, or solve a fifth-degree polynomial equation--but he was _larger_ than the common man. He was more vibrant, deeper, and just more _interesting_ than most people. He knew thousands of people and was able to call dozens (if not more) his friend. I'm grateful that I am on that list, however far down it I may be, and I hope I was able to give him back some small measure of what he gave me--fun, friendship, and things to think about.

Kevin Siembieda, owner of Palladium Books and one of Erick's life-long friends, said this in his press release: "Erick’s last months of life were the same as he had always lived, full of friendship, joy, grace and beauty. He went quietly into the night, like a snowflake falling gently from the heavens." Amen, and may God have mercy on his soul.