What to Say

I've been thinking all day about what I wanted to say about George Carlin's death. He was a man whose talent with, and insight into, our language and our society were singularly unrivalled. I've admired for him decades (dishearteningly strange that I can now say that with some truth).

My dad would let me watch Carlin's HBO specials with him ever since I was a kid, and I swear neither of us laughed so hard in all our lives. Indeed, I think Carlin was a huge influence on my dad's sense of humor, as well as his sense of the world (much as my dad might not think so sometimes). As a result of that connection, Carlin was an equally huge influence both on my sense of humor, and my sense of the world. I also shared the most trivial connection with Carlin: we had the same birthday.

All that said, though, I've been thinking all day, and I just haven't come up with words good enough for him. And, then, right before I go to bed this evening, Jon Stewart supplies me with the words I'm looking for.

At the end of his broadcast, Stewart simply said, "I'm getting awfully tired of the people we need leaving us."

And it hurts me to think how true that is...with regard to more than just Mr. Carlin.

I'm done for the evening. A good night to you all.