tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164615258549673581.post2258611176353142496..comments2007-02-23T19:15:42.332-08:00Linda Pendletonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04333787752335329007noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164615258549673581.post-52335214726858975562007-02-23T19:15:00.000-08:002007-02-23T19:15:00.000-08:00The official date of death of Richard S. Prather is February 14, 2007.<BR/>LindaLinda Pendletonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04333787752335329007noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164615258549673581.post-36954256084577287422007-02-18T01:16:00.000-08:002007-02-18T01:16:00.000-08:00Bill,<BR/>Thank you for sharing that with us. Keep smiling...Richard and Shell Scott would love that. <BR/>LindaLinda Pendletonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04333787752335329007noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164615258549673581.post-40896530738513149492007-02-16T09:43:00.000-08:002007-02-16T09:43:00.000-08:00Several years ago, I wrote Mr. Prather a note of appreciation, in which I said of the unaging Shell Scott, “… my most comfortable friend is as unchanged as I am. As long as he's still 30, then some part of me is still 11, and still laughing out loud, thanks to you.”<BR/><BR/>He was kind enough to drop a line back, in which he said, <BR/>“Yes, Shell is still 30, and always will be. Even if there happens to be another adventure or two in the future, I promise he'll be vigorously 30, still full of beans, and never a day older. Maybe I'll ask Shell how the hell he does it. And if he tells me, Bill, I'll let you know.”<BR/><BR/>I’m fairly sure that he didn’t have to ask anyone how to stay mentally and spiritually vigorous. His body of work, his shared knowledge of practical writing, and his savoring of his lifelong love affair with Tina (“she's the lovely lady I described, over and over again, in a variety of different ways”) seems to have kept him from getting old.<BR/><BR/>Then, just recently, I decided to write him thank him again and to suggest alternatives to leaving the Death Gods manuscript on the shelf. I kept putting it off, and mailed it only last week. Thereby, even in his passing, the old son-of-a-gun has re-taught me a lesson - One smile for the living is worth a fountain of tears for the dead.<BR/><BR/>Therefore, rather than grieving his passing, I think I’ll just start my grandson on my Shell Scott books as soon as he’s old enough to appreciate them. <BR/><BR/>And I am sorry for your loss of a friend, and very appreciative of your being a loving source of information, and his channel on the Web.<BR/><BR/>Bill Tufts<BR/>ScottsdaleBill Tuftsnoreply@blogger.com