Went to a funeral Friday, for a 42-year old friend from high school. He died suddenly last week apparently of heart failure. He seemed to have intimations of what was happening, and was told some months ago that he had the symptoms of congestive heart failure, but would not see a doctor - he did not want to die in a hospital attached to a bunch of equipment.

I had not seen him in ten years and sadly we were just on the verge of reuniting. He was an extraordinarily talented musician - had just finished a CD titled "I'm Over There", which is weird - and very intelligent person. I guess he just couldn't bear the thought of the invasiveness of medical treatment.

I've known people of my age and younger who have died, but this is the first from what I consider my peer group. Same age, same class, same background, many many memories. It's a shocking thing that evokes the vision of having crested the hill of one's life.