In Other Words with Dave 

I visited an old friend during a recent trip to Orlando, Florida. It had been decades since we’d seen each other. Our meeting place was set: We were to reunite outside the Comic Strip Cafe at Toon Lagoon in Universal Studios. Alright, that’s clear enough; I can handle that. 

Alison had gently encouraged me over the years to reconnect. She’d ask about him, and I’d share stories from our time in the mid-90s—some of which were unbelievable. We attended conventions, parades, book signings, and even Howard Stern’s Private Parts book party together. In Scottsdale, Arizona, we had breakfast with Charles Schulz. My friend and I shared stories with thousands of people every day of the week for nearly ten years. Then it was over. I walked away from that phase of my life and moved on. Perhaps that was just how I could best cope with saying goodbye to someone so close. We certainly had some history, but like many friends do, we lost touch. 

In the years that followed, family, coworkers, and friends spotted him. Some even sent me photos of themselves posing with him, as if he were a celebrity they’d stumbled across. These unexpected sightings kept him alive in my world, even though I hadn’t seen him in a long time. That changed when I finally turned the corner at Toon Lagoon. My old friend came into view. I had never seen this 16-foot-tall reproduction of my syndicated comic strip character, DAVE, in person. He had been waiting patiently there since 1999, alongside all his friends: Beetle Bailey, Cathy, Hagar the Horrible, and Snuffy Smith. I stood there, simply taking it all in. It was definitely a full-circle moment. We said goodbye— until next time. Then Alison and I set off to ride the Incredible Hulk roller coaster.