David, i've missed you for some time now and when Joanie told me you'd left us all i could think of was The Hero Returning. You taught me more than I could ever give back to you, dang it. You taught me how to listen, mainly. How to explore ideas and people that before meeting you, I'd have written off without thinking. I hated you that first day of class. Thought you were so arrogant. And then you knocked my socks off with your wit, your smarts, your gleeful humor. Your insight was arresting and your compassion, when you weren't feeling ornery, was enormous and beautiful. You were all human. imperfect and divine. And i remember one day in class that has always, always stuck with me. We students were communally railing against some poor writer you'd assigned us that no one liked, and you finally asked us, "What if this was your friend who'd written this book? Would you talk to your friend like this?" the class turned around in that silence that followed your question. and that book became a true friend. thank you, david. Knowing you is a solid, lifelong gift that doesn't end in Olympia or Arizona (...)