Thursday, Nov. 13, 2003 | 4:02 PM

I got an email an hour or so ago that a friend from high school died �suddenly�.

I haven�t talked to him in a long time. He was a nice guy�funny and kind of sleazy and super smart. He had terrific eyes. He was openly bi-sexual and incredibly confident. My best friend dated him. I�m sorry he�s dead.

When I opened the email I gasped and tears came to my eyes. He�s 27 years old for christ sakes. But then I wonder why I am surprised. Death is after all the only thing you can be certain about. And with the numerous possible catastrophes that present themselves to us on a daily basis, it�s strange that most of us don�t go sooner than we do.

I am so sorry about Max. I am sorry for his mother and father and sister and his neice who will never know him.

Every day that goes by it�s less and less likely you�ll be alive. How many of those days go wasted? I feel like rushing home right now and being in Angus�s arms.