Who has passed from your life and left you more grateful for knowing them?

Below is something that I wrote a few months ago after the passing of a friend. (For reference, I am in my 30’s.)

Very little makes sense to me these days. But I was thinking about that Woody Allen quote, “Showing up is 80 percent of life.”

Almost a decade ago, I was trying to get a job writing on a TV show, and a writer for that show was doing improv at iO West. I decided to go in the hopes that I could make some connection with this writer and help my chances of getting the job. (If this all sounds like a ridiculous, disgusting way to get a job, you have not worked in entertainment.)

After the show, I waited in the bar for about 20 minutes trying to find a way to talk to this writer when a 70-something man walked up and asked me what I was doing there, not talking to anybody. I explained, and he offered to introduce me to this writer. I asked if he knew the writer, and he said no, but he introduced me anyway.

That was Herb, and he came to iO almost every time that I was there. I got to know him, not terribly well, but when he had heart surgery, I went to a dinner for him, and I went to his birthday parties. One night, I saw him and said that my partner was out of town. The next day, he called and asked me if I wanted to go to see Tony Bennett at the Hollywood Bowl. He had a friend who worked there and got him free tickets. He always invited people from iO with the caveat that you had to drive and help him walk up the hill.

He had worked all his life as a travel guide and was traveling in Italy when he passed away this month. I am glad that he always showed up and that I showed up to meet him.