[Harp-L] Re: Chris Michalek R.I.P.

["steve@xxxxxxxxxxxx" <swebb@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I woke up from a late-morning nap to check my email and find this about 
Chris. I really don't know how to respond, but send my sincere sympathy 
to Laurie and his family.
I wouldn't say Chris and I were friends in the traditional sense, but 
I've known him over 10 years and credit him with much of my early 
progress on harmonica after I decided to get more serious about it back 
in the late 90s.
I went to SPAH in St. Louis back in either '99 or 2000 with Chris. I 
lived just over an hour away from him when he lived in Minneapolis and 
he picked me up on his way by. We talked a lot about harp and many other 
things on that long drive. I had met him earlier at Buckeye in '99 and, 
probably because I was also a Minnesotan, he was extra helpful.
Winslow's description of him as a "gentle, generous man" are how I think 
of him. Sure, he'd tell you what he thought in no uncertain terms, but 
underneath that, there was a kind and gentle soul.
We weren't close at all. Too much difference in age and opinion for that 
to happen. But we exchanged occasional thoughts on Facebook and I had 
hoped to meet up with him this winter in Arizona and talk more about 
customizing Sp20s.
Damn... Another reminder that we need to never take our day for granted.

Steve Webb in Minnesota, where the sun won't shine today.