Joe

Eight years ago today, I remember waking up for yet another day of work. My good friend and roommate was still up and he had a look of concern on his face when I said 'good morning' to him. He told me he had stayed up to tell me some bad news. "Joe Strummer died." It felt like a ton of bricks had hit me and the world had stopped. Damn. I contemplated calling out of work, but in the end, went on with the day. It was a busy work day so my mind didn't have much time to linger on this morning's news. That was until right before the end of the work day when All Things Considered reported on Joe's death. The world stopped again and that ton of bricks seemed to hit me a little harder. The evening was spent in a mournful haze. Joe and his music had been a constant in my life since the early '80s and had helped shape me as a person. I knew Joe was working on a new record and I was looking forward to the new year when that record would come out and the tours that would follow. It felt like I now had a big hole in my life. Then I thought of his family and how devastated they must be. My grief at Joe's passing must pale in comparison to theirs. I wanted to give them a hug.