(no subject)
When I first started work at GB on December 5, 1999, I was irked because BK had wanted me to start asap without any more time off than a weekend since my last day at SLAM. My first week I did not have a cubicle or computer yet so I spent my entire workday sitting in on call-center phonecalls on shared headsets with Steve and Barry. As usual, I spent my first weeks as the quiet guy observing; getting to know the people, their interactions and how they treated and respected each other. I noted that a few people either thought of themselves as superior to others and in some cases, were treated accordingly. Most of the time, however, proved that some who saw themselves as above the rest were the ones demanding they be accorded such recognition.
First I noticed Gaby, stand-offish and though also in call-center she seemed to be much more specialized than the rest and like a senior agent without the title. Sometimes a guy from the middle row of cubicles would walk over to talk with her; I didn't know any of those PC/Lan Analysts (they were a grade level up) even though I was pegged to be the call-center person on track to join their group. That guy was Luis, handsome in a light skinned preppy hispanic way. Looking more Spanish than Mexican I found that he was Texan and, as Gaby put it, considered himself only Mexican when convenient. I thought he looked like a Hispanic Alex P. Keaton. He later accounted for his 'stick up the butt' carriage as a result of his early years as a gymnast. Impressive, yes but as soon as I displayed my knowledge of the sport by asking his max degree of difficulty in his vault did I realize by his flippant dismissal that he'd probably not competed more than a few years in high school.
Luis and I became friends. In PC/Lan he and I were most alike in attitude and sympathies though mostly because the other three were a sourpuss hater, an egotist with a god complex and a chinless milquetoast who spoke with the voice of Droopy. As soon as Bellmore arrived she and I bonded and soon Luis moved into a business analyst position in the nearby building as he was always extremely driven to climb up the work ladder.
I later came to find out that Gaby never really liked him or rather they fought all the time in an annoying cousin kind of way. He'd say something with the aim of annoying her and she'd cuss him out. I would have long conversations with him and Chance about comic books, superheroes and movies. I often had to mediate their email arguments over Hulk v Superman.
Once in a while he'd join me, Bellmore and Ramon for one of our long Friday night happy hours. It was at one of these nights when Bellmore questioned my openness to outrageousness and Ramon countered that he knew I had an impulsiveness she'd never seen. So with Luis taking a pee they struck a bet: $30 for me to not only put my hand on Luis' knee but keep it there for 20 seconds while giving a few squeezes. So withLuis reseated I leaned in to whisper some nonsense about Ramon and Bellmore flirting when I obviously placed my hand on his leg then proceeded to lean back, my hand gently squeezing. Luis sat bolt upright both hands up in a surrender pose exclaiming "HEY...... HEY HEY!!".
I continued conversing with Ramon while Bellmore hid her face towards Ramon while keeping an eye on her watch. Looking quizzically at Luis I winked and innocently asked "What?" Looking down at my hand, "OH!" (yet leaving it there)
Looking at Bellmore, "Is that good?"
"Yep"
Luis, upon removal of my hand and realizing what was going on "Whoa. I didn't say take your hand away."
That sort of unexpected hilarious behavior sealed our friendship.
Another time at a farewell happy hour we would crack jokes at each other when once in a while he'd be left temporarily speechless finally admitting "You catch me off guard you're one of the few people quicker than I am.:" Cemented.
When we all moved back together into the Centerpoint building I saw a lot more of him again and we continued our infrequent talks. I'd stop by his desk and prank him after weekly meetings next to his cubicle. Taping his phone, locking his desk drawers, feeding the keyboard cable from a nearby desk into his PC and having someone type in different commands and write embarrassing emails while he watched (he learned to lock his workstation even when talking to someone nearby. Once I saw his banana which I peeled halfway, etched TONY on it then wrapped it back up with a Post-It© saying "think of me".
He cracked up, took pictures and emailed it around.
Luis died.
Luis and a GB team were down in Florida for a trade show on Friday and had dinner together on Thursday night. When Luis hadn't shown for their 1pm start time the others became worried. They called the police who found him and gave them the bad news. The police wouldn't give them any further information pending the Saturday Autopsy because in Florida every death that occurs while not under a physician care goes under the M.E. jurisdiction for examination.
Friday night his good friend Quintin, their youth minister and some others accompanied by the police went to Luis' wife to tell her and the kids.
Now they say he was not found in the hotel room though the bed had been slept in. He was found 5 miles from the hotel without his wallet or credit cards; though police won't release time of death nor do they report anything suspicious regarding the circumstances.
Autopsy reports were inconclusive. Luis had a well known history of insomnia so it's not known if he couldn't sleep and went for a walk. His bed had been occupied and his room card had shown entry after dinner the previous night.
His remains may go directly to Texas though that decision is up to his wife.
We'll have group drink in his honor soon.
First I noticed Gaby, stand-offish and though also in call-center she seemed to be much more specialized than the rest and like a senior agent without the title. Sometimes a guy from the middle row of cubicles would walk over to talk with her; I didn't know any of those PC/Lan Analysts (they were a grade level up) even though I was pegged to be the call-center person on track to join their group. That guy was Luis, handsome in a light skinned preppy hispanic way. Looking more Spanish than Mexican I found that he was Texan and, as Gaby put it, considered himself only Mexican when convenient. I thought he looked like a Hispanic Alex P. Keaton. He later accounted for his 'stick up the butt' carriage as a result of his early years as a gymnast. Impressive, yes but as soon as I displayed my knowledge of the sport by asking his max degree of difficulty in his vault did I realize by his flippant dismissal that he'd probably not competed more than a few years in high school.
Luis and I became friends. In PC/Lan he and I were most alike in attitude and sympathies though mostly because the other three were a sourpuss hater, an egotist with a god complex and a chinless milquetoast who spoke with the voice of Droopy. As soon as Bellmore arrived she and I bonded and soon Luis moved into a business analyst position in the nearby building as he was always extremely driven to climb up the work ladder.
I later came to find out that Gaby never really liked him or rather they fought all the time in an annoying cousin kind of way. He'd say something with the aim of annoying her and she'd cuss him out. I would have long conversations with him and Chance about comic books, superheroes and movies. I often had to mediate their email arguments over Hulk v Superman.
Once in a while he'd join me, Bellmore and Ramon for one of our long Friday night happy hours. It was at one of these nights when Bellmore questioned my openness to outrageousness and Ramon countered that he knew I had an impulsiveness she'd never seen. So with Luis taking a pee they struck a bet: $30 for me to not only put my hand on Luis' knee but keep it there for 20 seconds while giving a few squeezes. So withLuis reseated I leaned in to whisper some nonsense about Ramon and Bellmore flirting when I obviously placed my hand on his leg then proceeded to lean back, my hand gently squeezing. Luis sat bolt upright both hands up in a surrender pose exclaiming "HEY...... HEY HEY!!".
I continued conversing with Ramon while Bellmore hid her face towards Ramon while keeping an eye on her watch. Looking quizzically at Luis I winked and innocently asked "What?" Looking down at my hand, "OH!" (yet leaving it there)
Looking at Bellmore, "Is that good?"
"Yep"
Luis, upon removal of my hand and realizing what was going on "Whoa. I didn't say take your hand away."
That sort of unexpected hilarious behavior sealed our friendship.
Another time at a farewell happy hour we would crack jokes at each other when once in a while he'd be left temporarily speechless finally admitting "You catch me off guard you're one of the few people quicker than I am.:" Cemented.
When we all moved back together into the Centerpoint building I saw a lot more of him again and we continued our infrequent talks. I'd stop by his desk and prank him after weekly meetings next to his cubicle. Taping his phone, locking his desk drawers, feeding the keyboard cable from a nearby desk into his PC and having someone type in different commands and write embarrassing emails while he watched (he learned to lock his workstation even when talking to someone nearby. Once I saw his banana which I peeled halfway, etched TONY on it then wrapped it back up with a Post-It© saying "think of me".
He cracked up, took pictures and emailed it around.
Luis died.
Luis and a GB team were down in Florida for a trade show on Friday and had dinner together on Thursday night. When Luis hadn't shown for their 1pm start time the others became worried. They called the police who found him and gave them the bad news. The police wouldn't give them any further information pending the Saturday Autopsy because in Florida every death that occurs while not under a physician care goes under the M.E. jurisdiction for examination.
Friday night his good friend Quintin, their youth minister and some others accompanied by the police went to Luis' wife to tell her and the kids.
Now they say he was not found in the hotel room though the bed had been slept in. He was found 5 miles from the hotel without his wallet or credit cards; though police won't release time of death nor do they report anything suspicious regarding the circumstances.
Autopsy reports were inconclusive. Luis had a well known history of insomnia so it's not known if he couldn't sleep and went for a walk. His bed had been occupied and his room card had shown entry after dinner the previous night.
His remains may go directly to Texas though that decision is up to his wife.
We'll have group drink in his honor soon.