Farewell Old Yardsale Buddy Rick

Today I found out (thru reading the obituaries) that my old yardsale buddy Rick passed away a few weeks ago. He definitely was one of a kind. He was quick to tell a dirty joke to anyone anywhere and even got temporarily banned from the local senior citizen center where a lot of the senior citizens who still live in their homes go everyday for lunch, crafts, whatever old people do.

He LOVED yardsales. Too much I think. To the point where he got in trouble for having too much clutter in his yard. To say he was a packrat is an understatement. Yardsaling is where I met him at least 10+ years ago - you know how you tend to run into the same yardsailors week after week. Over the past few years his health declined (smoking like a chimney for 70 years straight doesn't help. I know he told me he tried his first cigarette when he was a young child and never stopped). I worried about him but didn't want to get too involved with his problems/legal issues etc since I know he has family members that live elsewhere in Maryland. And a wife somewhere too which he said he never divorced. One of the last times I visited, he got an unexpected visitor from DMV - it was a DMV (Dept. of Motor Vehicles) employee making a housecall to confiscate his driver's license. The DMV guy had paperwork etc saying that due to doctor's orders, he was not allowed to drive anymore. Rick opened up his wallet and handed over the license and signed the paperwork. After he man left, I said "Rick, you are taking that pretty well". He winked at me said that I didn't have to worry, since he has another one. Oye. I feel bad that it has been a few months since I visited, but every time I did, I left feeling and smelling like I smoked a pack and a half.

p.s. Edited to add: I think the pants he was wearing in the pic are the ones he wore all the time that had "Grumpy" written across the butt...