Bob often failed to show up to work but always known to make elaborate phone calls to excuse either lateness or absence. Bob did not call into work the previous evening or the morning of his death. Nobody close to Bob, and there was really nobody close to Bob, not even the people he casually knew, could explain why he was on the Milwaukee bus going into the loop at all. Bob was a known critic of public transportation and would often chastise people who used the CTA.

Bob lived alone but had been married for just a few weeks in the late 80s and would often use those few weeks of experience to give people at the bar insight on marriage and, mainly, reasons not to do be involved at all in that institution. He had no children and did not ever join the military. His main hobbies were the history of the linen industry and he also had an intense interest in "wasting diseases" that ravaged species in the animal kingdom. His knowledge of the history and particulars of "wasting diseases" was breathtaking.

Besides hating public transportation, Bob also had a deep resentment toward those who played the lotto and also people who "sing along with songs" and people who wear athletic apparel when not competing in athletic events at the time in which they are wearing the apparel. Baseball hats were included in this as well.

Bob drank Old Style, but missed the MGD draft muggies that Ray used to have. Over the 15 years he drank at Rays, he never came in with anyone else and never had a "friend" meet him there. He was not loud, did not flirt with women who stumbled into the bar, but did sexually prefer Hispanic women with broad hips, small cleavage and teeth issues. He was not happy with Ray's new hours but did not go to any other bars. He did not smoke but appreciated Ray's stance on continuing to smoke in his own empty bar. Bob never had any interest in buying Ray's and was tired of people saying they could do better with the bar that he loved. He knew it was not going to last forever and was ready to go down quietly with the ship. He never really cared for Ray but referred to him as the "kind of honest asshole I wish my father was."

Bob was found dead at Ogilvie Station with a small backpack. He had $23 in his wallet (a ten, two fives and three ones). He did not have any credit cards, just his drivers license, debit card from LaSalle Bank with no credit card logo and a receipt for a bag of Hot Cheetos and a Banzai Energy Sports Drink (made from the zest of miniature Japanese Bananas and 37 other ingredients) from the Red Star Convenience Store on Milwaukee Ave. The sale was logged in at 10:15 AM but neither the bag of cheetos or the drink were found on the bus.

In his backpack, there was a blank lined school notebook, 3 pens (red, black, blue), 1 sharpie (black), 2 bags of unopened Earl Grey Tea, a book of matches, a well worn paperback copy of the Collected Works of Evelyn Waugh, a small piece of paper folded into a square on which was written in sloppy scrawl, "They are making this my problem," a broken pair of chopsticks and, in the pouch of the bag, there was an unwrapped piece of Juicy Fruit gum and 87 cents of unremarkable change. Bob had no immediate family in the area and had no will or burial plans. His car was found right in front of his apartment, and though nobody bothered to check, it appeared to be fine.

In his apartment, 15 muggies taken from Ray's were found. Bob will be remembered by those who knew him on May 15th, 2008, at Ray's Tap, which is today, and right now.

PART 2
PART 3

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