I've Lost A Friend

I found out right before the start of yesterday's Rockies game that my friend, Bob Duprey, lost his fight with Hodgkins lymphoma on Wednesday.

I met Bob in 2004, my first year as a Coors Field usher. He had a season ticket in my section, and we got to know each other well. Over the years, as I started to go to more games with a ticket, I would sit next to him. We sat together for all of the 2007 post-season. In 2008, I bought a season ticket for the seat next to him.

We had some great talks about baseball. He was born and bred Yankees fan, and I'm a Red Sox fan, so that inspired many lively discussions. As baseball games accommodate, we also had great talks about myriad other things, too.

I knew he was very sick, but I was hoping that he could beat this the way he did another illness a few years ago. I expected him to be back in his seat at some point this season.

But it was not to be. I missed him at the games this season, and it's now sinking in that I'll never get to sit next to him and watch a ball game again.

He was a good friend, and I will miss him.



©2009 Douglas T. Dinsmoor