All worth it

The endless typing, the (alleged) proofreading, being forced to live in my own stream of consciousness ..... all the pain and dispair .... all the stories I've told here that could embarrass friends and loved ones...

I got a comment from Hjalti!!

I have't seen Hjalti in years. And years. We met in college when I started doing Historical Re-enactment with Markland back Before the Black Ships Came. (Best described by Bork - follow the link - thus: We wanted to become rabble from 1066. We wanted to smell like rabble and act like rabble. Actually, we wanted to act like the Marx Brothers acting like rabble.)

My prime Markland years were after the phase out of black Chucks as acceptable Medieval footwear and before the complete rise of the Authenticity Police. I'm a bit of a purist and never went for the fantasy medieval look (like Ann and Nancy Wilson in the 80s), but it was fun to be there during the less serious time.

Hjalti was a Jolms Viking. Yes, I probably misspelled that, but it is pronouced "yalms." The Jolms Vikings were largely interested in Norse history, knew a huge amount about it, and as a group bore a striking resemblance to the Ramones: lots of black leather; lots of long, dark hair; and kind of a smart-ass Goth vibe. And they were really, really smart, sweet guys, too. Hjalti didn't completely fit the Jolms Viking mode because he was big and strong and broad-shouldered and red-haired. He always looked a lot less dissipated than the rest of his cohort. He was, however, a consumate smart ass. And a truly sweet guy.

He joined the Army and moved around the country a lot and we've fallen in and out of touch, largely through Stacey. He's a wonderful guy. I think he was in the Army during Stacey's prom, and (IIRC), he had promised to take her, so he got leave, travelled to Hawaii (where - duh - she was living), got prom-ready, and took her.

Hjalti's married now with kids and I have a wonderful picture of him in his armour in case he'd like to put it somewhere promiment when his daughter starts to date.

And I'm going to see him tonight!!!!!

Yep, all worth it.