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Tribute from Nick
By: Nick
Assembled readers, friends, and enemies, I shall endeavour to make this brief.
Joshua Alexander Boycott is dead.
He wasn't Bobbo, or Dyrne, or Pyr Teranight, or any other such senseless sobriquet.
Joshua.
The name evokes religious feelings, doesn't it? This is fitting, boys and girls, as he was devout in all things, mostwise religiously. But there is a different evocation here too. Joshua Boycott was the type of person who is a conduit of God on earth.
All of the things that are good and wonderful in this hideous nightmare could be found in Joshua's actions and spirit. The heavenly expression of music, in almost all of its forms, was but one of his many callings. He wrote. He produced countless works of staggering emotion and depth.
He served his country, such as it is, in as fundamental a way as it is possible for a young man to do.
Now that country is bereft of his service, and will suffer the greater for it.
Shudder, Earth! Draw closer, then; feel the winds of despair upon your sunken cheeks. Huddle 'round the waning fire and remember what was, and ponder what would have been.
This may seem somewhat grandiose, but move back a bit. Consider the symbology of Joshua's death.
Hominus Primus; the greatest of men. Struck down in his prime by the cool, calculated evil of random chance. There can be no greater blow to the world. This is the way of things now. Every day, thousands of promising young Ubermenschen are martyred before the stampeding onslaught of The Common Man.
Joe Average. John Quincy Public. The Sullen Dreg.
We must campaign against such mediocrity, as Josh has done.
Thus, we return to the title of this piece.
Fiat Bellum.
Let There Be War.
Do not consider this an advocation of violence; no, this is a metaphorical call to arms.
As many illustrious men have died in the past to fan the flames of improvement, so now can we take inspiration from the works and glories of this startling individual.
Be like him. Go out unto the world and do something positive.
Find something that is being done poorly, and improve upon it.
Find someone who is struggling, and encourage them.
Fight the spread of ignorance and apathy.
Find something that you could be doing better, and do it to the freakin' max.
For Josh. For all of us. For the future.
Excel.
And remember him.