Friends Unmet

There's a Facebook profile -- a number of mutual friends. I go look at the wall and feel, well, I don't know what.

He's the brother and good friend of a number of Burners I've come to love who live up in the foothills. A great and close-knit crowd that I don't really feel a part of yet, but I feel accepted by them, and I expect my social integration to continue.

He died in a tree-trimming accident a few years ago, just before I started to get to know his people. His page is still alive, and indeed, someone must have gained access, because he appears to be accepting friend requests.

His wall is full of miss-you messages and happy birthdays. Recent ones.

I guess I'm just feeling the love they have for him. There's something uplifting about the peace and cheer with which his friends and family approach his memory. Of course there are still tears, but everyone seems so damn healthy and matter-of-fact about the thing. No black bunting for this crowd. Gotta love that.