One of the Gang Passes On

Mykola on his usual bench last Spring

On Monday, January 5th, our neighbor Mykola, or Kolya to his friends, died of a heart attack. We affectionately referred to him as one of The Bench Gang. He was a regular outside of our building and never failed to greet us as we came or went. He especially liked to wish us good health even though he always said that his health was "very bad". He complained that his apartment on the ninth floor was either too hot or too cold so he preferred to spend his days sitting out on the bench. We already miss him as we pass by the empty bench with no one to say hello or to ask where we are going or where we have been.