James,

I will always remember...

asking you for a light...
lunches south of market...
that filet mignon dinner I cooked for you...
teaching you how to play backgammon...
the roses you brought me when my father died...
dinners in the mission...
the day you surprised me with a mountain bike in the kitchen...
bringing Kitty home from the barbecue...
the look on your face when framing a shot...
the concerts at Stern Grove...
you reading Herb Caen...
the day Stan Getz died...
the beach...
the nook...
the view...
jazz on Saturday nights with Tony and Pam at that club on Geary...
the celtic fairs at Fort Mason...
the emerald ball...
our hikes up Lincoln Park...
the neighborhood hangout...
how excited you were about a new project...
Kitty waiting on the fence when we got home...
the day you got your first computer...
watching you "visualize the conceptualization process"...
the day you and Luna met...
Cleo and Dankworth...
you staring at the stars with awe while camping...
New York, the first time...
Lou Donaldson at the Vanguard playing Autumn in New York at the end of a perfect fall day...
the east village...
Dubling House...
teaching you the proper way to cross the street in NY ('don't make eye contact with the cab driver')...
New York, the 2nd, 3rd and 4th time...
the ferry rides...
all that live jazz...
walking everywhere, for hours...
the helicopter ride on our last day there...
Flagstaff...
San Diego...
Seattle...
that awful hotel...
the funny look on your face when we first became air-borne while para-sailing...
Santa Barbara...
collecting artifacts on the beach...
the annual jazz festivals on Fillmore Street...
the fun we had posting flyers for Jerry Day on Haight Street...
the New Year's eve I coaxed you to dance in public, never thinking you would but you did!...
you beating me at gin rummy...
your laugh when you were being silly...
cooking recipes that caught your eye in the chronicle...
that night we danced in the kitchen...
your garlic bread...
you always cracking nuts on Thanksgiving at Rod's...
you always eating all the good appetizers before anyone else had a chance at Louise's on Christmas...
the way you eat sushi with your fingers...
you and Tom always talking about music at Rod's barbecues...
the adjectives you used when describing something you loved - a book, music, exhibit - Stunning! Fantastic! Absolutely wonderful!...
your passion...
the last time we talked...

...you.