Dear
Mr. & Mrs. Gelman,
My name
is Matthew Miller and I was a friend of Jascha's.
We met briefly after the funeral, but I wanted
to drop you this note to better articulate my sympathies.
In the
time I spent with Jascha both at Michigan and in
the years since, I can tell you he was truly one of the
most exceptional people I've ever had the privilege
of knowing. He had the rarest of abilities; he
enjoyed life as he lived it, savoring every moment.
Lucky for me and everyone who came in contact with
him, this gift was contagious. Jascha was a constant
reminder that we could always smile a little brighter,
chew a little slower, party just a little bit
harder.
The
last time I saw Jascha was in late August. I had flown
in to Detroit for a wedding and afterwards, in the
wee hours, we met up at a party. At some point during
the night, I lost steam and went back to my hotel
wondering what extra organ Jascha possessed that enabled
him to squeeze every last ounce out of every last
night. The next day we went to Ann Arbor together.
At Zingerman's, he ordered a grilled zucchini
sandwich. I asked him why. He said, "Because
I've never had it before." He spoke as if that
was the way everyone ordered.
On the
Saturday after the funeral, a few of us took a trip
to Ann Arbor. As was mandatory, we stopped at Zingerman's.
I ordered a carrot and tomato sandwich with
swiss cheese on challah. Someone cringed and asked
what the hell was wrong with me. I explained, because
I'd never had it before.
No one
can properly convey what Jascha meant to all his
friends and this is not intended to be an attempt. I
just wanted you to know that we're going to miss him
and his imprint will stay with us forever.
My
warmest regards and deepest sympathy,
Matthew Miller
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