My Best Summer Ever - Legend of the TalusMonkey

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I got to thinking today and went back and looked and I doubt it is a surprise that after posting something for the very first time on this site, Talusmonkey was the first one to respond. I thought about that today as I was looking at my summit photos on my wall here at work. I was planning my first climb after a 3 year convelesence and asked a question about the 3000 foot rule. TMresponded "Don't believe the hype" "Do what feels right"!

Just 2 weeks ago we had that rambling thread mocking all the questions in which we got a little of track with the Monty Python Quotes. After way too many quotes I said we needed ot get lives and TM responded:

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Yeah, its pretty clear that we are white, male, desk jockey, nerds who make more than $28,000/year... In our defense I'll share my observation that only intelligent people appreciate the humor of "Monty Python and the Holy Grail..."

After one post I told him I had to live vicariously through him as having a wife and children kept me out of the mountains he replied it is respectable to be a husband and a father.

Beck Weathers said that when the Colonel Mandan flew him off of Everest in the highest rescue ever, Col. Mandan did it cause he wanted to show he had a good, brave heart. The humor and the respect that David showed in his responses and his advice I think showed that he a had a a "good heart"!

What is it about this forum that makes a person feel a kindred spirit to people they have never met. The internet is an amazing thing that strong bonds can be established without ever seeing anyone. I can't remember ever feeling this profoundly sad about the death of someone I have never met in my life, however, bantered with back and forth occasionally. I actually have laid in bed thinking about it have just felt a general malaise since. I live very close to the funeral home, however, have questioned the appropriateness of paying my respects as I did not know him personally other than here. A persons grief is such a private thing that deserves the respect of others and do want to impose on that by being one of the "high school kids that was best friends with the kid who died" when they didn't know them from adam.

I have rambled enough, just my observations of TM that made me laugh and my attempt to understand the level of my sadness I have had in this event.

Namaste,

Corey