Death of a Proud Sailor, a Board Legend - RIP Lord O' Bones

[Seli]

Oh fuck.

Rest in peace, you will be missed.

[Arbor Gold]

I just wrote three fucking paragraphs and then accidentally deleted it instead of copying it. Fucking appropriate.

John was the very first person I met from this board - actually, he was the first person I met from the internet. Since his posts were funny and we both lived in Mountain View at the time, I sent him a semi-creepy PM and we met up at a bar later that night. That first meeting, in May 2007, directly led to the resurgence of the BWB Norcal, which resulted in many great times and several close friendships. While I was proposing the first meet up in the thread, privately I asked John, "Is this stupid? What if nobody comes? What if I hate everyone?" He was literally sitting next to me as I posted, telling me, "who gives a shit? It's just the internet. You and I will have a good time. Fuck everyone else."

Everyone knows the towel story, which is great. The second time John and I hung out, he was named Man of the Year at his local dive bar and was gifted a strap-on dildo.

When John and I went to Giants games, he insisted on sitting in the bleachers, because "that's where the non-snobs sit." He took me to see the movie Stardust after the BWB picnic in Golden Gate Park despite having seen it the night before. He loved that movie and wanted me to love it, too. I did. He didn't get mad when I got some burrito on his copy of Use of Weapons. When I informed him about my crazy plan to dismantle the top half of my entertainment center, he responded with, "cool. I'll bring a saw." I introduced him to the tv show Rome, which he loved, and he introduced me to Venture Bros, which always makes me think of him when I see it on tv.

John and I spent a lot of time side-by-side talking, either on my sofa or more often on my balcony. I loved the sound of the slight drawl in his voice. He was a difficult person to be friends with, and we had a rough period, but we worked it out and I am very happy that we were on good terms at the time of his death. I keep re-reading one of our last message threads and laughing:

Him: I still miss my friend. And don't ask me why again. It's because you are a wonderful person.

Me: I'm really not that wonderful, but thank you.

Him: don't fuck up my memories, jerk.

I hope he has finally found the peace he lacked in this life. The world lost a very special soul yesterday. 

[Sivin]

I sat for an hour last night trying to think of what to say, and I found my words wanting. 

I guess I'll say that when I was scared, on more than one occasion, I turned to Bonesy for help. 

I'll never forget lipssan

[Salome the Persian Witch]

He was always one of the posters I enjoyed reading and interacting with.  He will be missed.

 

[ants]

That sucks. He will be missed. 

[TrackerNeil]

I admit John drove me up the wall at times--he didn't know how to agreeably disagree, and I defriended him on Facebook at one point to keep my own sanity. That said, I always had a real affection for John--there was something genuine, if occasionally maddening, about him. He was one of the "board people" I would have looked forward to meeting. I'm sorry that I never had the chance.

[Greywolf2375]

3 hours ago, Arbor Gold said:

I just wrote three fucking paragraphs and then accidentally deleted it instead of copying it. Fucking appropriate.

John was the very first person I met from this board - actually, he was the first person I met from the internet. Since his posts were funny and we both lived in Mountain View at the time, I sent him a semi-creepy PM and we met up at a bar later that night. That first meeting, in May 2007, directly led to the resurgence of the BWB Norcal, which resulted in many great times and several close friendships. While I was proposing the first meet up in the thread, privately I asked John, "Is this stupid? What if nobody comes? What if I hate everyone?" He was literally sitting next to me as I posted, telling me, "who gives a shit? It's just the internet. You and I will have a good time. Fuck everyone else."

Everyone knows the towel story, which is great. The second time John and I hung out, he was named Man of the Year at his local dive bar and was gifted a strap-on dildo.

When John and I went to Giants games, he insisted on sitting in the bleachers, because "that's where the non-snobs sit." He took me to see the movie Stardust after the BWB picnic in Golden Gate Park despite having seen it the night before. He loved that movie and wanted me to love it, too. I did. He didn't get mad when I got some burrito on his copy of Use of Weapons. When I informed him about my crazy plan to dismantle the top half of my entertainment center, he responded with, "cool. I'll bring a saw." I introduced him to the tv show Rome, which he loved, and he introduced me to Venture Bros, which always makes me think of him when I see it on tv.

John and I spent a lot of time side-by-side talking, either on my sofa or more often on my balcony. I loved the sound of the slight drawl in his voice. He was a difficult person to be friends with, and we had a rough period, but we worked it out last year and I am very happy that we were on good terms at the time of his death. I keep re-reading one of our last message threads and laughing:

Him: I still miss my friend. And don't ask me why again. It's because you are a wonderful person.

Me: I'm really not that wonderful, but thank you.

Him: don't fuck up my memories, jerk.

I hope he has finally found the peace he lacked in this life. The world lost a very special soul yesterday. 

 

It's been tough trying to really internalize the news because it can't be real - I mean, it's Bones.  He'd just tell whatever was affecting him to fuck off and he'd go on.

Thanks for sharing that @Arbor Gold.

Though now I will never get the picture of him in a towel wearing a strap on out of my head.

 

[Dr. Pepper]

I feel a bit gross for interjecting myself since I didn't know him at all apart from a couple passing posts, but I'm a creeper and looked up his name on fb.  Turns out it's a small world and we have multiple friends in common (random navy friends, no connection with the board that I know of).  Their memorial posts about him all agree that he was a pretty special person.  I'm so very sorry for y'alls loss.

[The Anti-Targ]

RIP Lord O' Bones.

[Arbor Gold]

52 minutes ago, Greywolf2375 said:

Thanks for sharing that @Arbor Gold.

You're welcome. My brain keeps going in circles, and I just feel compelled to tell stories. I have a few pictures I'd love to post but I'm middle-aged now and the new-fangled technology on this forum confounds me.

 Two minutes after I originally posted, a very strong gust of wind blew into my living room and a vase filled with lilies and water fell off a table and crashed on the hardwood floor. Intellectually I know that the wind blew the curtains and the curtains hit the flowers and then physics happened, but I could almost be convinced that John was expressing his disaproval and giving my post the smackdown from the other side. Except I know he would not be mad.

[Xray the Enforcer]

Thank you for sharing those stories @Arbor Gold   

[Paxter]

Thanks @Arbor Gold for sharing those memories.

Like Prue, S John, Kay and others, I first encountered Bonesey on Yuku/chat several years ago. From the start I found him to be extremely warm, welcoming and inclusive. He was never short of a funny anecdote to make you laugh or a well-timed piece of advice. Though I'm not sure how happy he would be with this soppy description, he was a true gentleman.

Rest in peace John.

[ThinkerX]

The news is a bit of a shock. 

 

I didn't know him, but I shall miss his posts.

[zollo]

I put my thoughts elsewhere yesterday, but couldn't really stay away from here. Hard to believe it was 10 years or so when John first appeared on here. That towel story, that could have been last week.

Irritating, contrary, in your face argumentative? Sure. But also sharp, witty, intelligent, warm, with a unique perspective on the world and unafraid to put it all out there.

They don't make them like that any more. Fare you well, John Kenady.

[Manhole Eunuchsbane]

3 hours ago, Greywolf2375 said:

Thanks for sharing that @Arbor Gold.

Seconded. That was beautiful. I wish I had met him IRL.

[Arbor Gold]

John and I used to text each other, "the moon looks cool. go take a look."

I was just outside, and the moon looks cool. If you can, please go take a look and think of John.

[litechick]

............

What can be said?  He was compassionate and charismatic.  Smart and witty (they are not the same thing.)  I liked him a lot.

I remember him telling me how he liked scuba diving.  I remember his pride in Navy service.  I remember him telling me about fixing fancy radar detectors with the spring from a ballpoint pen.

I haven't used it in a couple of years but I have a number in my phone.  What to do?  It's the last connection I have with him but now it's useless.  I can't send him a text anymore.  I can't talk to him anymore.  I can't tell him how much I wish he could have stayed with us.

All that's left is the Board Wake, where you cry your eyes out over a keyboard

He was a quality human being.  We don't meet many and we must give respect. 

[BlueRose]

I didn't know him well, but I remember Bonesy well from my days when I posted all the time.  But I still feel like I've lost a friend.  Goodbye, Lord of Bones.

[mormont]

I'm very sad to hear this news. Bonesy was a good guy, a friend to so many on this board, and way too young for something like this. May he rest in peace.

[Matrim Fox Cauthon]

Ouch. My condolences to the Lord O'Bones close friends and family. His absence will be felt on this board, but the memory of his legacy will not be forgotten on this board.