I am sad. My good friend Doctor Fever succumbed to cancer last week, and I find myself pining sorrowful. Doctor Fever was a fan of the Carbon Creek Chronicles long before they arrived on this site, before they had arrived on any internet site, before the internet, maybe.
He liked the stories. They didn't have to make sense, they didn't have anything to prove, and he liked that a lot. He made a map of the town of Carbon Creek, and I realized that the Author Friend had no sense of direction. He enjoyed the animal stories most, although, "Rupee, Look at the Stars" was a little sad for his liking.
He stayed upbeat. He wasn't a moper. He never complained about his pain, or his frustration at not being able to do the things in life he used to do. Right until the end, he wanted to go out, see people, watch a movie, even though his tired legs would not take him. He vowed once he'd rather die than sit in a wheelchair, but when the time came, he sat willingly in it because it meant he could get around.
Dr. Fever wanted for the longest time to write a story about the three legged dog. I sought and gained permission for him to do so, a decade past. He never got around to it, as they say. I think he figured if he did all of the things he was gonna, there would be no reason to keep going.
I'm working on the three legged dog story, based on the notes and conversations we had had together. It may not be exactly what he would have written, but at least he's got a front row seat to the writing of it.
Rest in peace, Dr. Fever. I miss you more than I would ever tell you to your face.
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