For Dana

The East River at 57th Street. There's something about a bridge that makes me think of a journey.

A friend died this morning after a long fight with cancer. We both started work at a brokerage in Chicago on the same day in May of 1992. At the time I thought Dana was a light weight. As head of the small business unit he knew little to nothing about the technical side of our job. I worked on large commercial accounts and knew little to nothing about selling. Selling is where Dana excelled. Despite my looking down on Dana's knowledge - - he always treated me decently and with respect.

I watched Dana and two other friends take down a Chicago Icon. Our former boss. That businessman was all over pay-to-play Illinois politics. You've heard a little something about this phenomenon recently. Today that iconic Chicagoan is in jail and won't get out until after Obama's first term ends.

Dana had balls. That's for sure. He also had the kind of humor that was bodacious, intelligent and way off the reservation. Presenting to a client after getting whacked with a $10.00 haircut the day before - - he spoke no truer words, "My haircut is a good example of what can happen when you buy price."

At a Chicago Bull's game in a luxury box, both of us were so bored that while our clients oohed at Michael Jordan, we wiled away the time throwing cubed cheese at each other. We left the game early and Dana took me home in his new Infinity. I think he was prouder of his new ear muffs that stayed on like little suction cups than that car. A year or so later I heard of the cancer. He put up a long fight and a couple of years ago he had a party to celebrate his life. It was a massive blow out with some of Chicago's hardest drinking and partying I've ever seen and we all knew why we were there.

After the party broke up, Dana treated me to a late dinner with his girlfriend and a model. The model was young, tall and beautiful and I had no idea why she was so interested in me. All through dinner she told me about the cosmetic company she wanted to start. Dana was in tears laughing. When I called Dana the next morning he admitted to telling the model I was extremely sad over my divorce and my personal net worth was over fifty million dollars.

In the last 5 months Dana's health declined fast. I phoned him and for the first time he didn't return my call. We were co-workers who became friends. In the plain vanilla - white bread world of my profession he was a colorful and grateful man who feared no one, played it straight and always reminded me to lighten up and have fun. I'll never forget him or his laugh. My heart goes out to his family and his many friends.