Ismael Maldonado: May, 31, 1959 – April 12, 2009

A moment of (stunned) silence for my friend Mima who died of lung cancer yesterday at the age of 49.

Mima and I had so much in common it was amazing. We were in synch in so many areas that people thought (when we were all together in social situations) that his partner Paul was just our best friend. Mima and I had two areas of dispute; one minor and one exceptionally major. The minor one mostly resulted in a final “whatever” on his part when I questioned the level of his literacy because, unlike other areas in his busy life, he was lazy about his writing, which drove me up the wall because I have, admittedly, an aversion to typographical errors. Mima was so precise in so many areas of his life and interests that I never understood why he didn’t share this concern of mine. Sometimes I think he would deliberately misuse the words brake/break just to get my goat (it worked).

Our major battle was centered on his smoking habit. From the day I met him a hundred years ago (it does seem like he was always in my life) I was on his case. But, sadly, he couldn’t do it. Quit I mean. The only thing I was able to accomplish was that he ceased to smoke around me. I guess that was a small triumph but it did not accomplish the goal of complete and forever cessation.

I feel a diatribe coming on:

In 1995 executives from all of the tobacco companies, large and small, testified before the Justice Dept. of the United States that they were not aware of any proof that smoking was a health hazard in general or caused cancer in particular. It has now been determined that these same tobacco bigwigs knew the results from several studies undertaken in Europe (paid for by their own industry) that the reverse was indeed true. The tobacco companies subsequently suppressed the results of their own studies. We now know that nicotine is as addictive as the worst main-stream drugs and that it is the direct cause of a variety of cancers along with many other debilitating diseases.

Some of the smartest and most sensible people we all know are unable to overcome the habit, and this included my friend Mima. My heart is breaking right now and I sincerely mourn my friend and hope that his afterlife (if any) will be serene. (Unlike a large number of tobacco industry nabobs who are no doubt destined to burn in hell.)

Oh, God, I hope there are no typos herein because I know Mima is looking over my shoulder and laughing.