My dear friend Robert Schatz died, of a heart attack. Robert was of a generation of gay men who experienced the first wave of sexual liberation, a generation that sadly has few remaining. In the 80s, when I first met him, Robert prepared to die. AIDS was considered a death sentence back then. I remember in the mid 90s when new medical cocktails became available and suddenly, after preparing to die, he had to prepare to live, and a different kind of struggle ensued. With Robert, as indeed with most of his generation, you could discuss a Bette Davis movie and a Maria Callas aria easily in the same sentence, and with many exact quotes and exaggerated swishy trills. He was one of the subjects of some seminal gay documentary in the 70s—was it Gay USA? I remember being so soothed by his calm voice, and looking up to him as a kind of role model. He was really one of the most pleasant people I’ve ever known, always so easy to be with, despite his habit of talking with his mouth full and spewing bits of food in your face. I’m so sad to think of him not around anymore, but considering that he didn’t expect to live to his 40th birthday, he had a hell of a run. Goodbye, Robert, I really loved you and am going to miss you so much.
It’s heartwarming to hear about how my big brother was loved in SFO. As we always said in our family, “Everybody loves Robert”.
Very saddened to hear this news.