The following are emails/messages I've received to be added to the guestbook. Please remember that you can email me any comments/pictures/etc that you'd like to be added here to: michaela@thesilicondragon.com or by ICQ (UIN 278071). (Please do not message me comments on the IRC. They'll most likely be looked over.) Thanks to everyone who has submitted comments and memories here.

     Words cannot even begin to describe how much thanks to give you all. When Chris left home, he always thought that he was a loner, that he had no friends. I'm glad to see that he was wrong. He was never lonely, and he will never be lonely. It was an honor to meet at least a few of his friends, and I especially give thanks to Joe, who was with us the whole time and went out of his way to make me and my parents feel comfortable during this dark hour.

     He was young, entirely too young, for this to happen. He loved his job at Marconi, and he loved Andrea. Christmas is not ever going to be the same anymore. There are presents under the tree for him...we planned on visiting my great grandmother and on going to see Shear Madness with him. I wanted to show him so many things. We were always looking forward to Chris coming home...but not like this. I see my present to Chris, and I just cannot believe he is gone. I am going to give Chris his present, and he will be buried with it in his hands...he needs something to occupy his time on the journey to Heaven. He is going to enjoy Christmas, even if he cannot be with us.

     Chris used to drive me crazy sometimes when we were growing up, and vice versa, but no matter what happened, I always loved him. I just wish that I could have expressed this to him before he passed away. I want to see his face. I want to see his marriage. I want to hear his voice, his laughter...I want to hear even his snoring...but I can't anymore. I have learned one of life's most brutal lessons...you don't realize what you have until you lose it. Chris will always be in my heart and soul, and he will be always be watching us, laughing and smiling with us.

Gregory Long
Chris's Brother
verjigormm@mediaone.net

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Too soon were you taken away from this earth,
only twenty-three years from the time of your birth.
A young man just starting to live out his life,
your leaving has cut through our hearts like a knife.

A little tyke giving his family such joy,
soon grew up to be a delightful young boy.
The years passed so quickly and soon you were grown,
you thought it was time to be out on your own.

You moved down to Pittsburgh, a new place to live,
you had dreams, you had plans, you had so much to give.
We missed you back home, but you needed to go,
to live like you wanted...you had wild oats to sow.
You had good times and bad times, but plugged your way through,
until things were all finally looking up for you.

One day, you were taken and no one knows why,
you had so much to live for...why did God make you die?
There's a reason for everything, although we don't know
the reason for this. Why did you have to go?

You're with us in spirit, but we're missing a part
of our family, our lives, and a piece of our hearts.
We love you and miss you, and we'll all meet again,
save a place up in Heaven and watch over us until then.

Love,
Aunt Fran

I only knew the man via short conversations in #wasteland.. He was entirely to young.. I believe god must have a higher purpose for Crusher. My sincere condolences to his family.

DonDon
Don Fisher
UnderNet #mirc-scripts
don@bay-city.net

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It doesn't happen too often that your best friend is a guy. Friends come and go and drift apart, but you try your best to keep in touch and that's how I felt Chris was a part of my life.

I remember a few years back, 1996 I believe, Chris came to visit us. There was a get together for the newbie in town at Kings in Wexford - our favorite hang out. There was probably close to 20 of us there to meet him. I remember sitting next to him as I ate the infamous 'Orgasmic Strawberry Shortcake.' Unknowingly I blurted out, 'OOoooh...that's so good.' (Something that was probably really inappropriate given the odd dessert name.) As the evening progressed with all ended up at Trippy's. Chris and Dave (my fiance) were tickling me until I ran out of breath. I began screaming for Shawn/Ist and Ed/Vlad to help me, all they could do was laugh and it made the whole situation a lot funnier. Around midnight a group of us decided to go to the Eat n Park in Cranberry, but we had to do so secretly -- for reasons which a few know. (Besides you can't come to Pittsburgh without going to Eat n Park.)

Fast forward a few months and Chris and Andrea begin dating -- a long distance relationship. I think it was around February, probably Valentine's Day. Then a few months later Chris made the big move to Pittsburgh. He roomed with Dave and Jeff/Mozart at CMU for a few weeks while he worked at Computer City (or some computer store). I remember the stories about Dave leaping out of the bed with a 'BOOM!' right next to Chris' head. Chris disappearing, and work not being able to find him -- I think Jeff and Dave yelled at him. Then the infamous quote, 'My a$$ is sore. - Jeff, Chris - 'Don't look at me.'

I think around then I hooked Chris up with a job at RG Technology where I worked. We worked together for a long time, and was always there to cover my back when something went wrong. He stuck up for me when the other guys made fun of me, but then was quick to help them make fun of me. It was all a fun situation :) During that summer Chris lived with Joe/Alexius. He missed Andrea a lot because she was away in Boston before she started school at Rosemont. I remember the day when Chris bought Andrea a sapphirelike ring. He was so excited and the ring was beautiful and he worked very hard for it. While Andrea was away he was always planning little ways to say I love you for her. He was truly in love with her, nothing could stop him.

Over the years there have been many happy experiences that I will always have the pictures and memories to remember:

• My graduation/birthday/pool party in 1997. Joe and Ed through Chris in the pool. I think he did it to show off to Andrea. :)
• Stacking creamers at EnP ... claiming it couldn't be done. I proved him otherwise.
• Helping me with my various guy problems (before and during Dave)
• Discussing why his beer was so dark (I think it was Beck's)
• Why did my nail polish remover have to stink so much.
• What kinds of things women liked in a man, and why did they hurt men's hearts so much.
• The summer party of 2000. Chris cooked and bought way too much food. :) Great cook though.
• The huuuuuuuge telescope he had. My astronomy teacher would refer to it as a 'light bucket.' I'm sure he can see all the beautiful stars up there now...

I guess the last time I saw Chris in real life was in October. A group of us went to EnP to meet Rob/Locus. Andrea kept calling Joe about his new girlfriend. Celeste wouldn't eat her chicken cause it didn't have BBQ sauce -- but it did have some weird sauce that Chris did try. Then he was probably making fun of my grilled stickies and glass of water.

After that we went to Joe's to find an apartment full of people who seemed to have been partying quite happily. We tossed a pillow around -- actually we were pounding each other with anything we could find to throw. That was fun. Andrea had informed me that they were going to the Fox and Hound for drinks and I was welcome to come along. After much flip flopping I decided to go with them. Except for the smokey environment it was an enjoyable time. Chris let me taste his beer -- it tasted really bad. It was unbelieveably dark. It was like looking into the black of night. We were all joking around without a care in the world. About 2 AM I left...never to see him again.

The last time I heard from him was when I told him Dave and I were engaged. He congratulated me like everyone else, and then I asked him when him and Andrea were going to get engaged. I never received an answer...and never will.

I guess that's just the way it is. Here one day and gone the next. He was whisked away on a gentle breeze like a feather in the wind. Chris was a friend to all. He's the kind of guy anyone would like to have as a friend. He rarely hurt anyone, and was always there to lend a hand. It was unbelieveable how huge his heart was.

"It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right. I hope you had the time of your life."

Chris, you'll always be an important part of my life...one I won't soon forget. Andrea, we are all here for you no matter how big or small the task may be.

Love,
Krissy

daggie- / dagrb0t
Krissy Werling
UnderNet #cloud9, #threerivers, #silence
snow_princess19@yahoo.com

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