Rob's Birthday

I posted earlier that I had never been to the Arboretum. I stand corrected. It was pouring down rain in early December when Rob Wallace was memorialized by his friends and family. He was hoping to have his service in the spring but he didn’t make it that far. We packed a small room at a building in the arboretum and exchanged stories about his life. Today is Rob’s birthday and I can’t believe it has been over a decade since he died. I think about him every day and have his artwork hanging in my home. Rob and I would spend hours on the phone talking about everything and nothing until I couldn’t keep my eyes open. We would rewrite history over Chinese chicken salad and quietly heckle fringe theatre performances. Rob encouraged me to continue in the theatre. He was one of my biggest fans, brutally honest and fiercely supportive, he attended all of my shows and class performances. One summer he stopped showing up. I didn’t see him at all and the phone calls were rare. Soon he stopped calling and seldom answered when I did. In late November I received the call that Rob had died. I had known him for six years and I had no idea he was sick. Rob was truly one of the most talented and brilliantly funny people I have ever met. I constantly strive and occasionally succeed at being the exceptional teacher, artist and human being that he was. Some people come into our lives and leave a mark…He left a big ole painting. Happy Birthday, Rob Wallace.