You Were Delish

My dear friend, Philip R. Craig, died yesterday. He left us way too soon. Objectively, he was a writer of the Martha's Vineyard J.W. Jackson mystery series...a surf caster and sailor...a champion fencer...an English professor...a teacher of writing...a scallop-er and clam-er...a singer...a writer of the cookbook "Delish" with his wife, Shirley...a collaborator with my husband, Bill, on three J.W. Jackson/Brady Coyne mysteries...a dad to Jamie and Kim...a grandfather, too...and a cowboy from Durango, none of which really describes the man that we all loved.

Phil was BIG. He was tall, maybe 6'5", and broad, and when he talked he waved his arms. His whole body talked, really, but it was his booming voice that grabbed the attention. You just knew his deep-throated laughter would thunder up any minute, no matter the topic.

Phil loved well, too. He and his wife, Shirley, (a buddy of mine), were peas in a pod. They traveled the world together, had adventures together, had kids together, had good times and bad times together. They defined a great marriage, at least in my eyes.

I rarely saw Phil angry, yet when he did express displeasure, say, at man's cruelty to man or beast, he was volcanic in his fury. But anger wasn't really Phil's way. He smiled often, and his grin rose from his lips to the gleam in his eyes. Phil Craig was full of mischief!

I meander. Please forgive me. But it's hard to contain Phil on the written page. Like I said, he was BIG. But it wasn't his physical presence that defined him, but rather his big-heartedness, his generosity of spirit, his large intelligence, and his big-beautiful ability to squeeze every ounce of life out of each day. Phil defined the term, Living with Gusto.

So it's really incomprehensible that he's gone so swiftly or so soon.

Phil Craig is the only man who ever offered - offered! - to take me shopping, just because he knew it would please me. That shopping excursion resulted in an up-close-and-personal viewing of Bill Clinton and Chelsea in Vineyard Haven, not to mention me getting to pet Clinton's chocolate Lab, Buddy. We returned home with great tales to tell, all of which Phil told in his inimitable, exuberant style. The man was a great storyteller.

The four of us—Phil and Shirl, Bill and I—had synchronicity.

Goddamn, I'm going to miss you, Phil Craig. Many folks who knew you, either personally or through your writing, will miss you, too. So will my dear Bill, your great friend and co-conspirator on books, tall tales, and the Phil 'n' Bill Show.

And we'll keep an eye out for Shirley and the Vineyard and Durango gang. We'll send them love, too. And hugs. Not quite the same, but we'll try our best.

Bottom line is Bill and I were lucky to know you. At all times and in all ways, my dear Phil, you were Delish.

Comments

[Sheila E]

Very nice tribute to your great good friend! I know that he will be looking in on you as well...that lovely bird is just such a reminder, as you stated!
My deepest, heartfelt sympathy for your sorrow.