We met for beers and burgers at the Cap. City Brewing Company. He took me over to the Riggs Bank (right? my memory is spotty in placess...) where he worked, showed me around, and shared his unhappiness with the situation there. I hope that he found a better environment at Sandler O'Neill. Before it all came crashing down.

And I have at least one thing to remember him by - a red power tie. He gave it to me when I once again showed up at a Forensics tournament with a godawful
70's style polyester monstrosity around my neck. My own version of lame-assed teenaged rebellion, I suppose. I still have that tie. It's the only red power tie I own.

I feel great sadness that I didn't know that Dan was in the city. I've been working on Wall St. for almost a year now, and we could easily have met up at Yip's
for some Chinese, the White Horse for a beer...

I happened to be at our office in Jersey City on the 11th. The best seat in the house, right across the river from the Downtown. Thankfully, I missed the planes - I was on the PATH train out to Jersey. But I watched both towers go down. The most helpless feeling in the world.

To help deal with this thing I've written a couple of pieces. For what it's worth, you can read them at www.blueear.com/forum and www.blueear.com/travel. Two are being published in a book which has just come out. You can read about it on blueear's main page, www.blueear.com - all the proceeds will go to the
American Red Cross.

Well, back to the salt mines. All the best to you guys.

Here's to Dan.

Robin
rfobrien_2000@yahoo.com