Congratulations to the accidental friend I made 20 years ago!
Accidental? Kind of and I can explain.
Nelson was a buddy of Hoser’s and our clique only encountered him occasionally. “Our clique” being defined as Helen, Paul, Hoser, Phil and me, namely the Mashuda Years.
Around early 1991, I was a frequent visitor at Hoser’s place, watching his vast collection of movies or comedy specials on six-hour-speed tapes. Nelson was a resident in the same building so he would pop by like a sitcom neighbor, but he was invited unlike Monroe or Lenny & Squiggy.
When Hoser left for Florida, Nelson would invite me to do things and I was initially apprehensive. I didn’t know him very well. Besides, I already had my own friends, all we had in common was Hoser, why was he calling me?
Nelson’s polite persistence paid off. By that Summer we’d hang out at his Southside apartment and hit the bars near my cool pad around 20th and National.
After I moved away by the Fall to take the GDW gig, Nelson stayed in touch and we’ve been good friends ever since. Attended each others’ weddings, jibber-jabber on our iPhones at least once a month and talk about Las Vegas.
Here’s to Nelson! Drop the guy a line to wish him Happy Birthday since he will now be the answer to life, the universe and everything for the next year!
Thank you for the note. It has been a great accidental friendship of over 20 years. I cannot complain. Here’s to twenty more years of friendship…