poincbylarry 3

It soon became obvious that Gene needed a friend. He had few contacts with the outside world and no contact with magicians. He loved magic and desperately wanted someone to talk with about it. I became that friend and am thankful for the bond that formed between us to this day. We corresponded regularly, all by typewriters at that time because this was BC (Before Computers). Later we talked on the phone and for the first time I heard his voice. It was VERY different than what I expected. It was a refined voice with a rich tone. And actor's voice with proper inflections and a soothing manner that was truly a job to listen to. I've often wondered what he thought of my Boston accent but he was a gentleman enough to never refer to it<G>.

Then one day he asked me if I had a tape recorder and this opened up hours of conversations. I was commuting to work at that time, a half hour each way. He would record an hour long tape for me, often filling it with mish mash to round out the hour, and I would listen to it one day. The next day I would record an hour for him. Sadly we usually re-recorded over the same tape so his words were lost. I treasure the few tapes I do have that somehow got set aside and are his voice. He was great fun to listen to because Gene did not just "talk," he "acted" out his words and listening to him was often like listening to an audio book read by an actor. When Gene related something frightening, I was frightened. When he told something funny I roared.

I was the Director of The Needham Science Center at this time. This was part of a well-to-do public school system. They were among the first in our state to buy Apple computers for the schools so I received an early education in the use and value of them. This led to an introduction to the internet (all just exchanging written words then) and the marvels of word processing. As my knowledge grew so did my enthusiasm for the computer. It obviously was going to replace the typewriter and I told this to Gene. I encouraged him to replace his typewriter with a word processor which he eventually did and... oh how he made me suffer. He was a true "old dog" and teaching him new tricks was hard indeed. He cursed me daily and sent me terrible threats (all done on his word processor) giving examples of the bodily harm he would inflict if I did not live 3,000 miles from him. But his threats grew milder and his word processing skills grew better. Finally he admitted he was taken by the "new technology." It was time to move him a notch higher.

By this time the internet was well established with slick interfaces and wondrous places to visit. I found a number of sites of magic interest and related my surfing adventures to Gene. Although he said he had no interest, I knew he did, and I knew THIS was a way to get him, at least in spirit, out of his cave and back interacting with magicians. Finally, reluctantly, he told me that a friend, Bob, had a surplus computer and had offered it to him and help getting on the internet. I jumped at this and got in touch with his 'cousin" (not a real cousin, but Gene considered him one) Bob. Bob did it. He gave Gene his computer and an account on America On Line. I think, despite more "old dog" frustrations, it was love at first sight for Gene. Bob and I worked together to link Gene up with a couple (just two, we did not want him to be overwhelmed) newsgroups: Bruce Barnett's 'Electronic Grymoire' (the EG) and Brother Shadow's 'Shadow Network'. Gene didn't need any more. He threw himself into these groups just like he had when we embraced him in M.U.M and, soon, everyone came to know Gene for all of the wonderful traits I had selfishly enjoyed in our early years as friends.