I have met many people that are members of the South Park Booster Club in the last two years. Of all the people that I met - none are as eccentric, dedicated - and devoted to South Park as Bob.

At sixty-nine years young, Bob has amassed a twenty thousand dollar collection of South Park merchandise which includes over one hundred and sixty South Park T-shirts, dozens of South Park plush dolls, a South Park pinball machine - and a soon to be converted South Park custom slot machine complete with characters on the wheels and voices of the characters when you hit the jackpot.

Besides his material devotion to South Park, Bob has such a love for the show and its fans that he and his friend George organized the First Annual South Park Convention last June in Colorado. And in addition to setting up the hotel and organizing an itinerary - Bob and George put together an extensive program, gave everyone a gift - and ensured that everyone went home happy.

When Bob got wind of the Brooklyn Mini Con that I was planning, he immediately booked a flight and planned to stay for two weeks. I was very happy that he was coming to the Mini Con - because if he made the Convention in June so much fun - I knew that the Brooklyn Mini Con would be a lot more fun if Bob was here - and I was right.

From the moment he arrived, he gave everyone gifts, made everyone laugh - and very quickly became the life of the party. He even stole the show at the costume party by dressing up as Kenny - and bringing the costumes of the other three South Park characters just in case anyone needed a costume.

The most memorable thing that I will keep with me from Bob's trip was the night of the costume party. Here was a sixty-nine year old man in a Kenny costume drinking Kaluha at my bar. When I approached Bob and said to him that I never thought in my whole life that I would have an almost seventy-year-old man dressed like a South Park character drinking at my bar - he looked at me and said, "I am having my second childhood." That statement shows exactly why Bob is as full of life as he is - and why I was happy that he joined us for the Mini-Con - and why am I sad that he is gone.

This will not be the last time I see Bob. But until I do - I will cherish the memories that I shared with him both in Denver and right in my own home. He is a true inspiration and an example to those who choose to live their lives not fully taking advantage of the riches that life has to offer. I hope that if I live to be Bob's age - that I have half of his energy when I reach his age - forty years from now.

Thanks for the fun Bob - and here's to everlasting youth.