It was lovely to hear your reflections of Sam I was overjoyed that he retained his sense of humor and his unique style of pain-in-the-ass-ness. Perhaps, I am his oldest friend to post here.

We were downtown kids in New York City. It was the summer before we would go to the High School of Art and Design together.

We spent many summer days riding our bikes on the condemned elevated upper level of the westside highway. In the mid-1970s New York was a ghost town. We would climb over the fences at construction sites and see what we could see. Find cool things to liberate or take apart and combine to build other things that were, “you know, cool.” We would Explore condemned buildings. we would bring back all kinds of old rusted bits of metal, machine parts, good garbage, or hunks of old buildings. We would stuff our knapsacks to beyond bursting, to the point where the straps would cut into our shoulders. Neither of our bags made it to the first day of school. After scavenging, or as we thought about it, exploring, we would then cram into his tiny bedroom on Charlton Street and try to make something out of it.

Of all the things we found most have been lost to time. But I still have one bit. A part of a Terra cotta facade. It weighs more than 20 pounds, and I’ve been carrying it since i was twelve. it came from a building we were both horrified that it was coming down. How do I still have it? I gave it to my mother as a gift. When she left this earth I couldn’t leave it behind. Those adventures are very dear to me and “exploring” is something I continue to do, as a grumpy old guy. I have included a picture. I’m currently using it to keep this lamp level. I put in a floor of re-claimed, planks and nothing sits level on it. It seemed like a good idea at the time.

It was more years than I can accurately remember since Sam and I last spoke. But I can share with you one of the things we discussed. It was in the fall and I mentioned that I only celebrate Thanksgiving. It was in the news that deep-frying a turkey was the best way to cook your holiday meal. I had no idea how one could create, 1. A Fry-O-Later large enough for a turkey and 2. An apparatus to lower the turkey into the boiling oil and remove it safely? As I’m sure you all know, Sam had a few ideas.