iguana buddy dedication

It is funny how you remember and identify people.

I picked up a funny birthday card in an off-beat card shop. It's an old black and white photo which looked it was taken in the early 60's of what could be somebody's elderly aunt with this hilarious look of surprise on her face. The caption read in typed letters inside the card:"oh my goodness! he has a reptile dysfunction? i didn't even know he owned a lizard"

I burst out laughing.

I figured somebody with a twisted sense of humor would get a kick out of it or even somebody who had or liked reptiles would get a chuckle out it.

I had just received sad and shocking news that one of my dive buddies, Paul Sauvageau, passed away on a scuba diving trip. The cause of death is still under investigation but it appears that he had some underlying health issues.

Paul was a "regular" aboard the "Easy Diver" dive boat. He was a fun guy to talk to. He had gone on a trip to the Galapagos island a few years ago. One of the main reasons for this trip was see the big land tortoises and marine iguanas. He told me he was a"herpa". This is an expression for those who love 'herps' (reptiles). I would tell him about my iguanas. He had iguanas too, plus snakes as a kid.

Paul was active with the North Shore Frogmen scuba diving club. "Fred" and "Chris" owners of "Easy Diver" would invite me to the NSFM club annual parties. I would greet Paul by saying, "how is my iguana buddy?' and he would laugh.

As I write this I feel a great deal of sadness. Paul will surely be missed.