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Tribute from Lewis
By: Lewis
((Editor's Note: At the time this was written, a different cover was planned for this issue. However, Sean was then inspired to draw the much more fitting one you all saw when you entered... I hope that alleviates any confusion in advance.))
Two months after I started at Terrouge, Josh told me he was making me Editor-in-Chief for the next two months, maybe three, after a 3 A.M. conversation on AIM where I'd mentioned I'd like to edit some day, despite having only written one articvle for a news publication. ever. What a joyride that was. Reporters, article assignments, and lack of time made those what might be the three worst months in Terrouge history. If it wasn't for Erin's help, I would've crawled under a rock whimpering. Josh was Editor-in-Chief for two whole years, and the moment he left, he volunteered to help out where he could. The boy was like Superman, the kind of kid where you look at him and say, "He's going places. He's somebody." Not "He'll be somebody." 'Cause Josh already was somebody. I've been lucky enough to know a lot of very talented, very smart, very involved people, and Josh is one of them.
I lost contact with Josh about a year ago. I found I hadn't the time for Terrouge articles once a month. Then I didn't have time for the newsgroup. Then I didn't even have time to talk to people like Josh or Misha. Josh's screen-name was cleaned out of my AIM, but I thought about him from time to time.
Last Sunday, I talked to Erin, and she informed me about Josh's accident. My mind immediately flashed back to the day when he told me that I was in charge of Terrouge, despite my lack of experience. Josh already was somebody, and to him, everybody else was, too. He didn't think that they "could be somebody, someday." In Josh's eyes, you were someone, right then, right there. There wasn't potential, there wasn't a bright future. There was skill and the brilliant now. Josh lived his life like that. He wasn't paving his way to an ultimate goal, in the same way that an engineer isn't building a bridge towards the other side of the river. Josh was building something complete with his life, and he knew that every stone counted.
What I'm trying to say is that, if it could be done, today's cover shouldn't be black. It should be a snapshot of every time Josh touched somebody. I know it sounds cliché, but it's true. Josh touched a lot of people. He was a great man, and he was a man, and he had a lot more to build, I'm sure. His death doesn't stop all of that though. Bricks are still being laid, with every thought of Josh, with every piece of his work that reaches out through the people he knew.
So, Josh, whenever I think of ten tons of talent in a 5 pound sack, I'll think of you. Whenever I see someone happily progressing with way too much work for his own good, I'll think of you. Whenever I put pen to paper to entertain, inform, and maybe pull both of those off with style, you'll be in my thoughts. And in Redwall spirit, 'cause that's where I met you, I'll raise a glass of strawberry fizz, or at least some Faygo, in your honor. May angels fly thee home.