When I found a message on Facebook from Steve Lewis about the funeral for Fred Rothbell-Mista, I was STUNNED. I knew that Fred had the HIV virus, but he had been living with it for so long, I just assumed he could go on forever. Well, as they say, “The word ASSUME makes an ASS of U and ME.” It also made ME feel very very sad. I didn’t even know Fred had been in the hospital, let alone that he had entered a hospice. That’s the problem with knowing someone for decades: You tend to take their presence in your life for granted. Longtime friends have a tendency to float in and out of one’s life. You might not see each other for YEARS, but, when you do come together, you just carry on the conversation without any guilt trips. Those ... Read More