IN MEMORIUM

To a Great Friend

A tribute from Richard Berges

Dear friends,

Today, Friday April 13th, the message reached me from the Bommer's that our good friend passed away. My sorrow is deep! He was my friend, he was my teacher. He was my guide throughout many years. I will deeply miss him !
Sunday, March 18th 7:30 pm: I leave my hotel. Dinner with Peter at 8 pm. I take the D train to Brooklyn. It seems like yesterday. I can't wait to get their. New Kirk Ave, I get off the train. Decoven Crt: nothing had changed.
We hug, I have tears in my eyes. It has been so long. Also, it was the first time after Maureen’s death. I keep hearing her voice on my mind, her voice on the answering machine: Halloo, you've reached 434 8278... I tell him I miss her. He misses her much, too. He tells me how lonely he felt at first, but he says he is OK now.
He seems to be in peace with himself. What a relieve. He did not change a bit in those years....
He tells me about his plans for the future. The new kitchen, the recepies from Maureen he wants to try, her magazine collection. He talks about the unit, that he goes to court with his former partner. He is still the old fighter. I remember sitting with him in his basement on many dialysis days. We were watching videos He loved Steven Segal movies.
He tells me about his plans. The house, the unit, the internet. He hooked up with a site for singles. I am impressed. He even talkes about dating again. Where does he take all the energy from? He seems quite happy. I am overwelmed: what a relieve to see that his life goes on. I am proud of him.

I left early that night, Peter is not feeling so well from a flu he caught the other day. We hug goodbye. I say to him that I would call him next week to make plans for the summer when he would come to Germany. I turn around at the doorstep once again: Take good care of yourself, get well soon, I say. He waves back, safe trip home, he says.

Sunday, March 18th, 11:30 p.m.
I take the D train back downtown, it fiels like I had never been away.
434 8278 I hear Maureen gently say. I smile. Good to know that he is well....
I flew back to Germany the next morning. It was a busy week, I did not call.......
Peter, Du weist wie sehr ich Dich vermisse. Hab Dank für alles was Du für mich getan hast, hab Dank für Deine Freundschaft, hab Dank für Dein Vorbild. Ich werde es immer in mir tragen. Ich werde Euch nie vergessen. Ich weiss, Du bist jetzt bei Maureen, it's all O.K., it's O.K............
Love, Richard

Richard kindly sent this invitation to a one year memorial ceremony for Maureen, Peter's wife. The ceremony was cancelled due to the untimely death of Peter - Ed