R.I.P. Randy Johnson (Not the Baseball Pitcher)

At around 6pm last night Randy passed away. He’d been an internet friend for four or five years and even kindly bought, read and reviewed some of my books. As can be gleaned from his blog's sub-heading (Not the Baseball Pitcher), he had a sense of humour and was a voracious reader. Over the last few years he had lost a number of family members and had undergone serious surgery more than once.  His regular blogs did not hint that he was soon to quit this mortal coil. Before the end, he asked his nephew Tracy to post the following blog, entitled, ‘It’s been fun’:

By the time you read this, I will be gone. My health is not what it should be these days, the result of a lifetime of doing all the wrong things.

I just want to take the time to say good-bye to those of you out there I’ve come to know in the internet land. I’ve never met any of you and never expected to, but I consider you friends and hope you do the same. The same likes and interests brought us together.

It made my life better to a degree to follow your blogs each day, to laugh or cry at the things you posted on, to participate in discussions on various subjects. My disability kept me confined to the house for the most part. I can go in my car on a limited basis to any place where I didn’t have to get out (kind of limits destinations though). Mostly it is just trips to doctors.

I live alone. Family members or friends call or come by every day to help out (I don’t know how I’d have made it without them), but I’m alone most of the day. So mostly my world consisted of books, my computer, and television in that order.

One thing I’ve missed the last few years is going to the brick and mortar book stores. My little town had a Waldenbooks, but it closed a few years back, and there are no others, not even a used bookstore. The nearest city with bookstores is thirty-eight miles away. It has the usual chains and a couple of independents as well, though bookstores in general are slowly starting to disappear.

The internet and Amazon made it possible for me to get books delivered here. That was only good for things I knew about though. That stumbling across the occasional little gem was a thing of the past except for all you folks’ blogs. Especially Patti Abbott’s Forgotten Books on Fridays. That brought a wealth of new finds for me (I wish I could have afforded all of them). But I found recommendations from all of you that I might never have tried otherwise.

Thank You!

It’s been a lot of fun. I’m saving this post and will have a family member post the particulars when the time comes.

 
Good Bye to all!

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Farewell, friend Randy. Rest in Peace.

His blog is https://randall120.wordpress.com/