Ted Hafer

Ted, neighbor, rest in peace.
We will always have fond memories of you -
drinks with you and J after the Beck show,
handstands on the green at GA power on the Fourth.
Just saw you a couple of days ago.
We wanted to know if you carved our pumpkin.
We are sad to see you leave.
Everyone is.

http://www.myspace.com/pornorchard

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We're neighbors with Ted and Jessica, and are saddened so deeply to know we'll never run into him again. Last I saw him was on Wednesday. It pains me to think that was the last time. He was always funny, and generous to us in these random ways, like leaving some Grit goodies on our front door last Christmas. And once, while we were pulling out of our driveway, he came cruising up the street real fast in that green boxy van and came close to hitting us. Then later that evening, he left us a note on piece of paper bag, cut out neatly in a square: "[ ], I AM SO SORRY. We were rushing to get home, and the kids were revolting in the back. I didn't mean to cut you off. NEVER AGAIN!!! Call me at xxx-xxxx so I can apologize." He also left a message on C's voicemail to this effect, getting her number by calling around. There was another time when C was hanging her art at The Grit, and one of her paintings came crashing down off the wall, glass shattering and all. Ted was totally cool about the whole disastrous thing, and in fact, he suggested that they meet when The Grit was closed, on New Year’s Day, of all times, so he could help her hang her stuff. Incidentals like these -- and there are so many more -- led us to think of Ted as a sweet guy. In light of the funeral today, it couldn’t be clearer that he was hugely influential and really loved, more than we really knew. He had a goofy smile, as one person said this afternoon. He did. I’ll never forget it.

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