R.I.P. Baxter L. Francis

Baxter L. Francis died yesterday morning while on an annual hunting trip with his two sons and elderly father. He is said to have been feeling "really really good" that morning but died suddenly when his heart stopped working during a hunt a few miles from his summer cabin in Maine.

Francis, who was 43, is best known as the inventor of the cell phone ringtone that goes: doo deee dede deee dooahhh dooo dooahhh dooo.

12.07.06

when you are in a new city, everywhere you go you see people from home, except their faces are chubbier or their bellies are smaller, they are taller and more tired, walk faster but talk slower. some of them are happier than ever to see you, but most of them don't recognize you when you are yawning on the train or drinking in a bar or falling asleep sitting behind a desk.

today a group of mentally retarded adults came into the gallery where i work, they were accompanied by two chaperones. one of the chaperones sat on a bench at the far end of the gallery. this guy is almost my gym teacher from junior high. outside the gallery it's winter. he is wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt and a black puffy vest. he has on black dress pants and black dress shoes but he isn't wearing socks, i can tell because his pants are a little too short...

the gym teacher always picked me for skins during capture the flag or basketball. in fact all the chubby boys were picked for the skins team.

...on the way out, one of the members of the group turned to me all wide eyed and said "this is THE place to beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee".