Scott Muldoon, Facebook, 22 March 2017 at 12:50 GMT

I heard late last night that an old friend of mine took his own life on Monday. His name was Al Hayden, though I knew him first as Allen Halden. 

We were friends during an intense period in my life in the latter half of the 80s, in a way that forges a lifelong connection.

It's a wonder what a love of games, anime, and giant stompy robots can bring to people's lives.

Al had it tough. His health was in steady decline and with the passing of his father last year it seemed he no longer had the means to continue. As far as I'm concerned he was murdered by capitalism.

After sporadic contact over the decades, I was able to see him again a couple of years ago. His infectious and cynical humor was as sharp as ever and it was easy to slip right back into our friendship.

Last week I received a package of some 90s anime stuff from him, a product of his now portentous house-cleaning. It was exactly the kind of quietly generous act he excelled at. In the package was a note that ended with "When this is all over, I hope we can get together again."

Me too, brother.

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Louise Strickland 
Very sorry to read this. Love to you from both of us Scott x

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Scott Muldoon
Louise, you guys may have met him - he sat in on that game of Firefly at WBC. Was that you in the game with us?