Thank you all for patiently waiting though the second unannounced and actually-not-Keenspace's-fault hiatus in three months. Sometimes, things just come up.

Last weekend, my father died of a heart attack, his second in three months. Having a peculiar sense of timing, Dad made sure that I was in town visiting him at the time. He was thoughtful like that. For instance, I was already on my way to Chicago when he had his first heart attack three months ago. He hated making travel arrangements, so this was his way of helping me out.

Many people have told me that I look or act much like my father, but I am most proud of the fact that I shared his ironic and cynical sense of humor. It wasn't uncommon for the two of us to be laughing at something no one else saw. In some places, that's considered schizophrenia. In others, it's family.

Once Upon A Table might not exist if not for my father. Well, yes, that makes sense biologically, I suppose, but it's more than that. Since I was very young I always had reams of "one-sided paper" to draw or doodle or write on. The fact that the other side of the paper was full of legal briefs that were probably inappropriate for youngins is irrelevant. He was always writing stories or poems on the side, and I always knew I wanted to do the same. The difference is that Dad actually sold some of his stuff, while I'm peddling mine for free on the net.

Dad was a wonderful person who touched many lives. Maybe someday I'll be able to craft the words to describe just what he meant to me. Until then, I guess you'll just have to put up with more comics about cursing axes and ogres with too many arms. Actually, that might be it.

OUaT returns next Monday.