John was my neighbor for many years, however we never really got to talking until we ended up buying wine at the same time at BevMo. After that we started enjoying a bottle of wine and had the best time. He had the greatest stories! Before we knew it eight or nine hours would always pass! We went to an art deco museum together, we had plans to perhaps both move to the wine country.  He was kind, generous, the most unique person I will ever know. He would make his own cheese, he would plant plants that bloomed at night because he was a night person as am I. Things I never would’ve thought of! Inventing his own noise canceling machine for the neighbor that drove him crazy LOL. He would never pick up my cat as hard as I would try but he was a vegetarian because he loved and respected animals in that capacity.  The night before my cat died she took off without me which she never did on the walked down to John’s apartment that she had never been to and sat at his door. I think she knew she was going on with trying to say goodbye or let me know   John was the type of person you only really meet once in your life  I cannot drive over the reservoir to the coast without thinking of John’s story of sneaking out at night and floating around in a raft where it is prohibited. But also climbing over the fence to pick up trash and getting caught! He seemed to always get targeted at the airport security after September 11 because of his beard or so he thought making him look like a terrorist LOL.  Our last conversation was about coming back and haunting people after we die and he came to everyone that I know of that was in his life including me and even my neighbor that works at Safeway!  John was just about to turn 50 and was planning a party. The invitation list was made and ready to be sent. Two of our neighbors and I had even bought his birthday present already.  I know his cologne scent  which was never noticeable because his brother put it on while they were cleaning out his apartment and it was so strong but he strangely couldn’t get the smell off of him. And once when I was just about to go over the reservoir to the coast that smell hit me so strongly in my car and I was there alone driving and no one around. As I came back that same day and was just about to go over the reservoir to go home the same cologne in my car again very strongly.  I know he’s with me all the time but I miss him so much! I tried everything to keep his plant Tina Turner alive so that he would still remain alive in a sense. The plant lasted about 11 years and I cried when I couldn’t keep the last blade alive any longer. I took his small Japanese maple topiary tree and planted it outside in my then apartment patio and it grew into this huge beautiful tree. When I went to move I tried to give it to the Japanese Tea Garden in San Mateo who rejected the offer.  I advertised in ads and a woman said she would come with a truck and take it but she never showed up and would never respond to me with many attempts to contact her again. When nobody else responded and I had to move they cut the tree down which broke my heart.  I still have a book of his...and our memories as Iwait to be reunited with him again one day. Miss you, love you John!