When I was a kid, if you liked Bowie, we could be friends

I first heard David Bowie when my brother said, "Hey check out this video. This dude totally kisses another dude!" That was DJ from Lodger.

Later I would roller skate to Let's Dance, and China Girl.

I remember the Halloween my brother John dressed as Screaming Lord Byron from the video for Blue Jean.

My family split in half when we came to Northern California and my three older brothers stayed behind. On my first visit back I was left alone with my brother Erick's records. I played Space Oddity over and over.

My brother Edward came up to stay with us for awhile in Roseville and we'd sit in the garage so he could smoke. We'd play Changes over and over. That Christmas Edward gave me copies of Lodger and Never Let Me Down on cassette tape.

I was having a hard time making friends in Roseville, but when another kid complimented my David Bowie t-shirt I invited him over to watch Labrynth on cable. That's how Billy Russell became my best friend.

When I met Bryna, Hunky Dory (the first album she bought with her own money as a kid) was on constant rotation.

Then I lived with Chris Sirhc and much Bowie was played, particularly The Man Who Sold The World.

Just recently I went though his entire catalog in order and renewed my fandom discovering much in his later albums to love, particularly Earthling.

My boss and I bonded over a mutual love of all things Bowie.

Just yesterday I told my wife I'd play the new album for her on Spotify.

I thought we'd have Bowie in our world a lot longer. He's always been there, patron saint of freaks. It's hard to imagine that he's gone and impossible to express just what he has meant to us.