A Tribute
Soon... I will be no more. Soon... there will be nothing left of me but some web pages, plus some printed pages, presenting what I've done... for what it's worth.
More important to me than my accomplishments, however, is a rogues' gallery of other people who helped shape what I am today (or, what I used to be).
Back in 2007, I joined the Railwire, an online community of modelers. With dozens of other similar groups from which to choose, as well as having an acute aversion to social media, why did I join the Wire?
One of my oldest and dearest friends—Rick Spano—hosted many open houses, and one of his regular attendees was a little kid named Eddie. Fast forward a decade or so, after little Eddie was all growed up, he learned that I was Rick's friend, and suggested that I join the Wire.
The Railwire was quite unique among modeling forums: youthful (in spirit), irreverent, yet graced with some of the Internet's finest modelers. I sensed something about the forum that's difficult to articulate, but that drew me in.
And so I joined—and, I hasten to add, with zero regrets. There I found kindred spirits: modelers seeking unvarnished, truthful, even brutally honest assessments from peers. No unearned kudos, no "attaboys"; just plain speaking from others like me looking for objective assessments. Modelers who had BTDT.
But, even better... despite their honest, no nonsense approach to modeling, they never took themselves too seriously. "We're not your father's forum" was the mantra. For the first time in my life, I'd found a place where I felt as if I truly fit in.
It wasn't long before I incorporated myself into this little society by creating the forum's banners, which ranged from the serious ("Arhatship"—a demonstration of supreme skill—highlighting exceptional work), to bizarre, trendy, avant garde, and often "insiders' only" humor. Indeed, the latter began outnumbering the former over time, as I generated hundreds of banners over the years.
Some of this was due to the fact that several of the forum's more active members were "northeast" local, and participated in face-to-face social events that I eventually joined. This drew me into an "inner circle" that eventually became known as the "asshats." I'm not about to claim I inspired the formation of this group—far from it—but I will admit to exploiting this otherwise derogatory sobriquet in some of the forum's banners, which helped reinforce and perpetuate the joke—among others.
Anyway, thanks to the Conrail Historical Society and their annual "Rail-B-Q," I got to meet a number of my fellow Railwire asshats. And for that, I am eternally thankful. I'd formed bonds with peers I would only wish I could have met decades earlier. But... better late than never.
Among my life's highlights is having met
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There were others (and I apologize for any possible perceived slights); the community as a whole was very supportive. But these people in particular became very important to me over the last decade and a half. When I'd collapse in upon myself (as I had on more than a few occasions), one or more of them tactfully reached out to me and made sure I continued to feel worthwhile in the land of the living. They not only helped keep me modeling, but also helped keep me engaged with the outside world.
And so I raise my glass to these precious friends. If my life meant anything, it's only because they saw value in supporting me.
Thank you, my fellow asshats. You meant more to me than you'll ever know.
—DKS, 26 March 23