In Memoriam

As many of you know, I spend much of my weekend down in the Byward Market; and one of the joys is getting to know the local vendors. I was saddened this past weekend to hear that one of the true gentlemen of the market had passed away, over the winter.

Fern Duhamel was my vendor for everything from beets, to tomatoes, carrots and cucs. I was a loyal customer. My relationship with Fern, I suspect, was entirely one-sided; and entirely accidental. It dates back seven years when I first took up roller-blading. I had just come out of the Byward Fruit Market (another common haunt), and decided to cut through Fern's stall. In the process I dropped my wallet. Later that evening I received a phone call from Fern Duhamel's daughter, and between the two of us we arranged for me to pick it up. It seems that Fern Duhamel had found it in his stall, probably shortly after I had unceremoniously used it as a short-cut to avoid the mob.

From that moment on I was a loyal consumer.

I was truly saddened to hear of Fern Duhamel's passing. To me, he was a gentlemen - you just had to meet him; to exchange a few words about the weather, or the tomatoes you were about to buy, to realize that he was a nice man. I honestly did not know Fern Duhamel well; but in my brief encounters, I appreciated him. I will miss him on my weekend jaunts.